
Copyright]^" 



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LIST OF DR. FROST'S BOOKS. 



Evangelism and Baptism 

208 pages; Cloth $ .50 

An Experience of Grace 

(Compiled) 108 pages; Paper, 25c; Cloth .40 

Tine IVioral Dignity of Baptism 

282 pages; Cloth .75 

The School of the Church 

193 pages; Cloth 1.00 

The Memorial Supper of Our Lord 

283 pages; Cloth .75 

Our Church Life 

260 pages; Cloth .75 

Baptist Why and Why Not 

(Compiled) 430 pages; Clcth .50 

The Baptist Message 

(Compiled) 216 pages; Cloth .50 

Christian Union 

(Compiled) 143 pages; Cloth .50 

Pedobaptism: Is it from Heaven or of Men? 

199 pages; Cloth .75 



BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD, 
Nashville, Tenn. 



Evangelism and Baptism 

Tlie New Testament Method 



Make disciples of all the nations, baptiz- 
ing them into the name of the Father 
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." 
Matt. 28:19. 



J. M. FROST. LL. D. 



Price: 
Cloth, 50 Cents; Postpaid 



Sunday School Board 

Southern Baptist Convention 

Nashville, Tenn. 






Copyrighted. 1916, 

by Sunday School Board Southern 

Baptist Convention. 



p. 



££ 



MR 17 1916 

©CLA428138 



To 

The Younger Preachers 

Charged with 

The Sacred Trust 

of Teaching 

The Holy Ordinances 

of 

The Lord's House. 



DR. CAMPBELL MORGAN'S PREFERENCE. 

In a sermon on "The True Order of Missionary 
Work" with the Great Commission as his text, Dr. G. 
Campbell Morgan, pastor of a Congregational Church 
in London and highly honored in America, gives his 
preference concerning baptism as follows : 

''The first thing I have to say is that there is no 
question at all that baptism in those (New Testament) 
days meant immersion. That is not open to ques- 
tion. ... 

"I affirm, unhesitatingly, that the original word means 
immersion ; I affirm that, in order to point out that the 
symbol that Jesus commanded was a symbol suggest- 
ing death into life. In the whelming beneath the waters 
we have the symbol of death. In the emergence from 
the waters we have the symbol of life beyond the death, 
resurrection, life. . . . 

'7 prefer to abide by the primitive rite in the old and 
simple form. Seeing that the Lord did leave with us 
who bear his name only two simple rites or ceremonies 
— ^that of his table and that of baptism^ — I prefer to fol- 
low his command according to the earliest method." 



(4) 



TABLE OF CONTENTS, 



PAGE 

Dr. Campbell Morgan's Preference 4 

The Basal Thought of All— A Foreword 7 



PAET I. 

Evangelism and Baptism. 

Fullness of the Symbol i6 

I. Evangelism with the Baptismal Note 17 

II. The Spirit, Form and Purpose of Baptism. . . 30 

III. The "One Million Baptisms" 43 

IV. "The Greatest of All Easter Pictures;" or, 
The Resurrection of Jesus as Seen in 

Baptism 51 

V. Baptism and the Wonders of Pentecost. ... 60 

VI. The Relation of the Ordinances 75 

VII. Two Memorials with One Meaning 85 

VIII. The Lord's Supper in Revival Meetings.... 91 

IX. Magnifying the Local Church loi 

X. Left His Chariot to be Baptized no 

XL The Baptism of Saul of Tarsus 120 

XII. Baptism and the Evangelical Faith 132 

XIII. Will Sprinkling Do as Well for Baptism?.. 143 

XIV. The Voice of Conscience in Baptism 154 

XV. Baptism a Figure of Salvation 165 



(5) 



TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued, 



PART II. 

Five Lectures in Outline.* 

PAGE 

The Ordinances — Baptism and the Supper — Their 

Doctrinal Content 173 

A Statuary of Truth 174 

General Introduction 175 

I. Their Doctrine Concerning God 177 

II. Their Doctrine of Atonement for Sin 181 

III. Their Doctrine of a New Heart loo 

IV. Their Doctrine of a Godly Life 196 

V. Their Doctrine of the Final Triumph 203 



"^ Delivered at State Workers' Institute, Arkadelphia, Ark., 
Feb. 20-25, 1912. 



(6) 



THE BASAL THOUGHT OF ALL. 
A FOREWORD. 



This is something more than ''just another 
book on baptism/' The plea is for EvangeHsm 
plus the great ordinance — a plea for New Tes- 
tament order and ideal. It comes of definite pur- 
pose, and is distinctive somewhat both in view- 
point and method. It is a message for the prac- 
tical worth and larger service in certain great 
phases of gospel teaching and practice, of which 
our people have been foremost champions. 

The baptismal question and some of the great 
baptismal texts and occasions of the New Testa- 
ment are brought forward in a constructive way, 
and in their relation to evangelism and salvation. 
The ordinances, baptism having the larger space, 
are magnified in their didactic character and 
function with renewed emphasis also on their 
sacred nature and ceremonial value. Sacraments 
they are, indeed, when this imperial word is used 
in its original sense of supreme authority — the 
believer's oath of allegiance and loyalty to Christ 
his Sovereign and Saviour. 

A prominent member from one of the best 
churches in the South compared the preaching 
of two of his pastors as follows — one gave hini 
clearer and more exalted view of God, the other 
gave him more adequate view of baptism in its 
larger and richer meaning. The first is the basal 
thought, while the second is the motive and aim 

(7) 



8 Evangelism and Baptism. 

of what is contained in the following pages. In- 
deed, the two are not far apart, viewed from the 
standpoint of the New Testament and of a full, 
well-rounded pulpit ministration. For any study 
of baptism worth while will surely develop its 
wonderful relation to God as the basis of its own 
exalted character, and a study of God's wondrous 
grace and his effort for its expression will bring 
one inevitably within the field of this greatest of 
all symbols. 

The word — baptism — is the name of this ordi- 
nance of the New Testament, and indicates the 
form of its administration with unvarying regu- 
larity and emphasis. But the ordinance itself, 
though impossible without this form, is yet larger 
than its name in fullness and richness of symbol. 
Its component parts are all essential to its integ- 
rity, whether considered separately or in a unit. 
The following answers, expressive of its several 
phases, are indispensable in considering the ordi- 
nance, but no one of them is adequate as a defi- 
nition : 

I. 

What Is Baptism? 
A New Testament Ordinance. 

2. 

What Is Baptism? 
A Physical Act of Immersion in Water. 

3. 
What Is Baptism? 

A Specified Command of Christ. 



T7ie Basal Thought of All — A Foreword. 9 

4. 
What Is Baptism? 

The Believer's Special Act of Obedience. 

5. 
What Is Baptism? 

A Service of Faith, Loyalty and Worship. 

6. 

What Is Baptism? 
A Symbol of Wonderful Realities. 

It takes all this and perhaps more to make bap- 
tism, and every item is essential to its integrity 
and fullness of meaning. The immersion, for 
example, though in a sense the lowest in the scale, 
is yet basal to all the others, the one essential 
form, and indispensable in its administration. 
There may be the physical act of immersion as 
the name baptism requires, but it cannot he hap- 
tism except there be in addition the qualities of 
spirit and purpose herein named, as its life, char- 
acter and adornment. 

This booklet, which is devoted to these great 
matters of New Testament life and teaching, con- 
sists of two parts. The first part, as explained 
in Number 2, consists of fifteen articles previ- 
ously published. They will show some repetition 
from one to the other, which was partly unavoid- 
able and partly not sought to be avoided. Not 
that quotations are made from one to the other, 
but words and phrases, now from this point of 
view and now from that, iteration and reiteration, 
to illustrate and enforce the great subjects under 



JO Evangelism and Baptism. 

consideration, hoping by some means to reach 
their aim and fasten in heart and mind the dif- 
ferent features and functions of this great ordi- 
nance. 

The second part presents in outHne five lec- 
tures on The Doctrinal Content of the Ordinances 
— baptism and the supper, which were delivered 
at Arkadelphia, Ark., in a State Workers' Insti- 
tute, February 20-25, 1912. They were not writ- 
ten out and I have misgiving as to their publica- 
tion in this shape, but some think they will be 
helpful in the way of suggestion. It is a growing 
vv^onder with me how largely the great doctrines 
of the New Testament find emibodiment with em- 
phasis and illustrative power in these two me- 
morials, — souvenirs, one of the cross, and the 
other of the empty sepulchre. 

Are we meeting the claims of Christ concern- 
ing these two ordinances of the gospel system? 
The ordinary views of baptism even among our 
own people seem at times inadequate — not in- 
correct as far. as they go, but inadequate. Hav- 
ing made good the contention for imrnersion as 
the form, we are in danger lest we becorne sat- 
isfied with that as being all there is of it — as if 
one should lay the foundation of his house, and 
then not go on to build and equip hisv home; 
There is great need for emphasis of the other 
phases of the ordinance by all proper method. 
Baptism speaks volumes for itself, even for im- 
mersion, if only its significant nature and won- 
derful symbolic import can be fully developed 



The Basal Thought of AU—A Foreword. H 

and brought to the front. Its marvelous didactic 
power for the gospel of grace has scarcely had 
a fair opportunity or showing. 

The little book, "In Christ," by Dr. A. J. Gor- 
don, came into my life in the early years of my 
ministry, and was almost the first to open my 
eyes and touch my heart with the charm and 
beauty of baptism in its symbolic use. He w^as 
not discussing the ordinance, but like Paul was 
using it to illustrate some of the greatest spir- 
itual truths, like the believer's union with Christ 
and his risen life in him. This opens a wide, 
rich and far-reaching subject for study. Ordi- 
narily we appeal to the symbolism of the ordi- 
nance to prove immersion as the form, but Dr. 
Gordon appealed to baptism as immersion to illus- 
trate and enforce these great evangelistic truths, 
and so set before the Christian world an illus- 
trious example of teaching through the larger 
use of the ordinance. For there is no finer or more 
powerful exhibit of what grace has done and w^ill 
yet do than is shown in these ordinances of the 
Lord's house. For this reason no doubt they were 
set in their place so conspicuous and commiand- 
ing in gospel teaching and Christian experience. 

Important scriptures concerning baptism, — 
great baptismal passages, — made familiar and 
famous in former years as controversial texts, 
are now scarcely used at all. There has been 
reaction from the old controversy, and the re- 
action has gone too far and brought on an in- 
difference that is almost deadly in its influence 



12 Evangelism and Baptism. 

on Christian character and Hfe. These texts lie 
at the very heart of the gospel, and sometimes 
carry its very marrow and fatness in doctrinal 
teaching and experiential grace. Baptism is 
never presented in these pages for itself, but 
always for those mighty things which it so pow- 
erfully sets forth in figure and symbol. Why 
should not these very scriptures become even now 
a fresh power in Zion, not as of old, but in a 
positive, constructive way, and without reference 
to controversy or opposing people be made an 
evangel like living pictures in the present-day 
preaching ? It would be a fresh emphasis of New 
Testament truth by means of a New Testament 
method. This in part is the aim and purpose of 
this writing. 

A noble sermon on the Spiritual Meaning of 
Baptism was said by some one, ''to be the final 
vv^ord on the design of baptism.'' It was strong, 
out of the ordinary, and deserved the high word. 
As a matter of fact, however, there can be no 
final word on baptism in any of its phases. Espec- 
ially is it true that whoever may speak the great 
word, others need to speak it for themselves and 
so keep the wonderful message on the wing. 
There is need for individual study and individual 
expression from one's own experience and con- 
viction. This cannot be done by reading an 
article on baptism, or a volume, or by preaching 
one sermon, or a sermon now and then at long 
intervals. But much more is required than all 
this, and by such methods as the thoughtful and 
devout will devise for themselves. 



The Basal Thought of AU~A Forciconl. 13 

Large use, of course, may be made of what 
others have done, in a way to suggest and stimu- 
late, possibly to direct somewhat, but here is a 
work of tremendous moment for mind and heart, 
which each one must undertake for himself, with 
the New Testament as his guide and inspiration. 
Must we not face the question in all seriousness, 
whether the ordinances have been given in our 
thinking and life, the high place and use which 
are theirs by right? Have we done our duty 
toward these ordinances? This question should 
appeal to everyone who has experienced the grace 
of God in his heart, who is concerned for spir- 
itual and evangelical truth, and who is warm in 
his devotion and loyalty to Christ and Christ's 
cause. If the high duty goes unattended to, then 
we suffer, the cause of truth suffers, and Christ 
is dishonored in the things which are his. A 
better and nobler way, however, is open for us, 
if only we set our hearts to walk in it. 

Surely this must be a great matter that claims 
our attention, since Christ himself was baptized 
and then gave baptism its commanding place in 
his final word of conquest; since the Apostle 
Peter following his Lord and in the first victories 
of the cross set baptism among the wonders of 
Pentecost; and since Saul of Tarsus, notwith- 
standing his vision of midday glory and his re- 
ceiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, was yet bap- 
tized and ever after cherished the meaning of his 
baptism as symbolizing his greatest experience of 
grace and the forecast of his final triumph. 



14 Evangelism and Baijtisrn. 

Surely unless we know all that is to be known 
concerning these great ordinances, we must fol- 
low on to know more and more of the charm and 
beauty of their figure and symbol. 

Suggested Topics for Sermons. 

As illustrating the wide scope open to the 
preacher in preaching on baptism, I venture to 
suggest a list of subjects. Of course as many 
more could be easily added and then leave the 
field unexhausted. 

Baptizing Them into the Name ... of the 
Holy Spirit. 

Baptism and the Believer's Union with Christ. 

Our Baptism the Christ Uniform. 

Baptism a Service of Worship. 

The Resurrection of Jesus and Baptism. 

The Relation of Baptism to the Godhead. 

Baptism an Act of Obedience. 

Baptism as a Resurrection. 

Baptism — Physical Act and Spiritual Meaning. 

The Experience of Grace and Baptism. 

The Ordinances — Their Educative Quality. 

Baptism — Its Meaning in Its Form. 

What Baptism Says for God. 

Baptism a Confession of Faith. 

Baptism unto Repentance. 

Baptism as a Monument. 

''One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism." 

The Demand of Baptism for Newness of Life. 

Baptized into Christ, Baptized into His Death. 

The Lord's Death and the Lord's Supper. 

The Lord's Supper and His Resurrection Life. 



Part I. 



EVANGELISM AND BAPTISM 
The New Testament Method. 



*'As A. J. Gordon puts it : 'Baptism is the sacrament 
which the church holds as a perpetual trust from her 
ascended Lord, and which holds for the church in per- 
petual preservation the doctrine in which her life is 
bound up/ Preserve the ordinance in its original form 
and you preserve the doctrine. Distort the ordinance 
either as to its subjects or its mode of observance, and 
you distort the doctrine which it was designed to en- 
shrine and safeguard and express.'* 

(15) 



FULLNESS OF THE SYMBOL. 

**How beautifully significant is baptism as it was ap- 
pointed by the divine Founder of Christianity and en- 
joined upon all of his disciples ! 'Go ye into all the 
world, disciple all nations, baptizing them.' It is the 
symbol of the most sacred truths, the condensed biog- 
raphy of the redeeming Son of God, the Gospel in mini- 
ature, the record of the deepest human experience, the 
silent utterance of saving faith, the soul's consecration 
to a new life, the epitome of God's revealed will to men, 
the proclamation of cleansing grace to a sin-stained 
world, the most eloquent sermon that was ever preached. 

"li the minister is humbly conscious of his inability 
to express the glorious Gospel of the blessed God in 
words, he did express it when he himself was baptized, 
and he has expressed it at the baptism of every happy 
convert. When we consider its fullness of meaning, its 
divine appointment, its first recipient in the waters of 
the Jordan that he might fulfill all righteousness and 
foreshadow his overwhelming baptism of suffering, how 
carefully should baptism always be administered — with 
what reverent hands, with what prayerful spirit, with 
what solemn stillness, as if in the presence of the de- 
scending Dove in momentary expectation of the Fa- 
ther's approving voice." — Dr. Henry M. King, in Bap- 
tist World, Nov. 4, 191 5. 

(16) 



I. 

EVANGELISM WITH THE BAPTISMAL 

NOTE.* 



In the evangelistic campaigns of the New 
Testament, when the foundations of historical 
Christianity and of the Christian system in its 
didactic character were being laid, baptism and 
baptizing held commanding place. It was some- 
thing of a banner for display of the truth, served 
in a way almost as the key note of triumph, and 
made public the victories of the cross. The rec- 
ord tells in terms of baptism how the work went 
on, how the word of the Lord was magnified and 
supplemented in this ordinance of the Lord, 
either by the multitudes who were baptized or by 
the baptism of individual persons whose distinc- 
tion added to the distinction of the simple rite, 
as with the treasurer of the Ethiopian queen or 
Saul of Tarsus at Damascus. 

We are laying much stress upon evangelism, 
but are we as bold as those early preachers in 
sounding the baptismal note? They were not 
afraid of being misunderstood in setting a cere- 
mony well to the fore, not that they preached on 
baptism though doubtless telling of its meaning; 
but they preached, men were converted, and bap- 



* The Baptist World, Louisville, Ky., Sept. 30, 1915. 
2 (17) 



18 Evangelism and Baptism. 

tism followed. They were not deterred either 
that an occasional Simon Magus came on the 
scene, or lest "an externality" in religion should 
in some way be mistaken for the inner spiritual 
experience of grace. 

Illustrating My Plea. 

How close are we to the New Testament meth- 
ods — or how far away? I recall the Tabernacle 
meetings at Nashville, in which I took no small 
part, did my utmost indeed for their furtherance 
and to gather the fruitage which at best was 
scant enough. We had the services of the most 
successful evangelists, and enormous crowds 
waited on their ministry. The reports as to the 
outcome told how many hundreds ''signed cards" 
for this or that, or "held up their hands" in tes- 
timony of some important proposition, or "gave 
their hands to the evangelists" in token of some 
promise or pledge for the future. So it w^ould 
go on night after night, day after day, through 
a succession of evangelistic meetings year after 
year, until Mr. Moody himself said, "Nashville 
was the worst burnt-over town" he ever saw. 

This is written simply for illustration and not 
to depreciate those meetings or meetings like 
them. There was much sincere and serious ear- 
nestness, some exceptionally fine preaching, espe- 
cially by Mr. Moody, much also of spiritual en- 
joyment and uplift, and without doubt genuine 
conversions unto the Lord. But one note was 
missing which rang clear and strong in the evan- 



Evangelism With the Baptismal Note. 19 

gelistic campaigns of John, of Christ, and of the 
preachers who came after. The question of how 
many were baptized is all right as a New Tes- 
tamicnt inquiry, but as to those Tabernacle meet- 
ings would have been thought out of place, pos- 
sibly hurtful and wrong. But if we want New 
Testament evangelism why not follow New Tes- 
tament methods in directing our campaigns, and 
New Testament standards in estimating results? 
And is it not more than probable that in shutting 
off the baptismal note we lose both the evan- 
gelistic and evangelical power which the remark- 
able ordinance holds in its symbolic import and 
didactic character? 

Laying Historical Foundations. 

The New^ Testament record is as clear as the 
noonday and powerfully impressive in its empha- 
sis and enforcement of the things which I am 
here venturing to mention. No word of mine can 
exaggerate or even match the wonderful account 
of how the work w^as carried forward at the first, 
and how baptism came to its commanding posi- 
tion and everyw^here marked the triumphs of the 
cross both in the hearts and lives of men. 

First came John, preaching and baptizing — a 
m.an sent of God to preach and baptize after the 
heavenly pattern — preached repentance for the 
remission of sin — heralded the coming of the 
Messianic reign — baptized the people in token of 
their inner change and of their alignment and 



20 Evangelism and Baptism, 

allegiance with the new order. Immense crowds 
flocked to his ministry and baptism, coming from 
Jerusalem, from all Judea and from regions be- 
yond Jordan, and were baptized of him in the 
Jordan confessing their sins. 

Some came indeed who heard him tell of the 
wrath to come, had felt the power and pungency 
of his preaching, but lacked the inner change re- 
quired by the new rite, missed the whole mean- 
ing of his message. These were sent away for 
a change of mind and heart, and until they could 
bring forth fruit meet for repentance. It was 
a new day in Israel. A new preacher had arisen 
with a new message. The kingdom of God was 
coming in, coming in after his plan through this 
first evangelistic campaign of the New Testament 
— a campaign of God's ordering, with the bap- 
tismal note clear and strong, and which served 
as a call to repentance, emphasized the need of 
the inner change, called for a new life, and sig- 
naled the coming of the King. 

Christ then came on the scene, preaching the 
kingdom of God, calling sinners to repentance, 
seeking to save the lost, and so opened what I ven- 
ture to call the second evangelistic campaign of 
the New Testament. He came from his home in 
Nazareth unto John to be baptized of him in the 
Jordan, began his public life with his baptism in 
the river, while the heavens opened above, the 
Holy Spirit descended, the Father gave his ap- 
proval and made public announcement in his be- 
half. 



Evangelism With the Baptismal Note. 21 

Much is said of his teaching and preaching, 
of his heahng and other miracles, of how people 
crowded upon his ministry, yet no record is made 
of their flocking to his baptism as they did to the 
baptism of John. There is one word, however, 
incidental as it w^ere, but distinct, unmistakable 
in meaning and full of significance : ''J^^us made 
and baptized more disciples than John (though 
Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples)/' 
These words illustrate how much went on in his 
ministry that did not get in the record, give em- 
phasis to the order of baptizing those who first 
became disciples, and show how those baptized 
by his disciples are counted as having received 
baptism at the hands of our Lord. So to this 
day, following his example, his leadership, we 
have the commanding word : 'Thus it becometh 
us to fulfill all righteousness.'' 

The Disciples with a New Charge. 

Then the third campaign, but dififering in no 
essential features from those preceding. The dis- 
ciples under their new commission and with the 
power of the Holy Spirit from on high, began 
their evangelistic labors with the same baptismal 
note as was heard from John and from our Lord 
himself. Like their predecessors, they preached 
repentance for the remission of sin, and baptized 
in token of the work of grace wrought within. 
This was the preaching of Pentecost, and its start- 
ling results, added to the wonders of the day, 



22 Evangelism and Baptism. 

were told as if for emphasis in baptismal terms : 
''They that gladly received his word were bap- 
tized; and the same day there were added unto 
them about three thousand souls." The stirring 
scenes of the Jordan, with the preaching and bap- 
tizing, had been transferred to Jerusalem, and 
from this center the good news would go to the 
uttermost parts of the earth, telling in word and 
symbol the wonderful achievements of God's 
grace among men. 

Why This Pre-Eminence for Baptism. 

Furthermore, the following considerations are 
offered for this high place given to the great ordi- 
nance in the efforts of the apostles, namely : its 
place of honor in the commission, its relation to 
organized Christianity, its didactic emphasis of 
evangelical truth, together with its outward ex- 
pression in symbolic form of the work of grace 
wrought within the heart. 

Evangelize is the first word of the great com- 
mission for making disciples of all nations ; but 
the second is like unto it, and bears equally the 
authority of Jesus, declares for his Sovereignty 
and Deity, pledges obedience and allegiance to 
him — ''baptizing them into the name of the Fa- 
ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." 
Surely ordinance never had more distinguished 
setting! It is magnified in its relation to the 
Godhead, while in turn each of the three divine 
persons has separate mention, is honored and 



Evangelism With the Baptismal Xote. 23 

glorified in this simple service of ceremonial 
obedience and worship. Its right administration 
in spirit, form and purpose, is to this day a won- 
derful profession of faith in this perhaps the pro- 
foundest truth of New Testament teaching. Sim- 
ple enough indeed, and yet an act of obedience 
and worship which expresses in an outward way 
the loftiest emotions of the human soul. 

Baptism, moreover, with its companion ordi- 
nance, the Memorial Supper, was at the very 
start wrought into the texture and structure of 
organized Christianity, as seen in the individual 
church — first at Jerusalem and then in other in- 
dividual churches as they were multiplied 
throughout the world and throughout the cen- 
turies even to this day. The ordinance is in- 
herent in church organization and life, promotive 
of its welfare and expressive of its distinctive 
character. 

The record makes it clear, almost with start- 
ling effect, how^ these two ordinances were 
promptly brought to the fore on the day of Pen- 
tecost, and shows already their fixed and com- 
manding place in the church, marking its in- 
crease in numbers, fellowship and spiritual 
power. "And the Lord added to the church daily 
such as should be saved." 

In telling of further displays of grace and 
powder, the record shows the great ordinance as 
holding a high place in the preaching and prac- 
tice of the apostles — as the banner of an army 
marching to conquest. 



24 Evangelism and Baptism. 

The high official from Ethiopia, converted as 
he rode in his chariot, sought baptism at the hand 
of Philip as honor and privilege, no less than 
obligation and duty. So also with Saul of Tar- 
sus, held in the power of his midday vision of 
glory, happy and obedient in his new experience 
of saving grace, and having already profound 
conviction of the Lordship of Jesus ; and the 
word — ''Why tarriest thou, arise, and be bap- 
tized, and wash away thy sins; calling on the 
name of the Lord,'' had prompt response from 
this Hebrew of the Hebrews, this Pharisee of the 
Pharisees. Surely symbol never bore profounder 
content of meaning or told its story with more 
charm and power. 

Told in Word, Repeated In Symbol. 

For further illustration see how word and sym- 
bol combine in the apostolic ministry. They made 
large and noble use of the symbolic import and 
worth of baptism to illumine and enforce the 
most mom.entous matters evei presented for 
human consideration. 

They preached Christ crucified but risen from 
the dead with the fullness of saving power, while 
baptism showed in figure and picture his resur- 
rection and the empty sepulchre left behind in the 
garden — with the oft repeated word, ''He is not 
here. He is risen as he said ; come see the place 
where the Lord lay.'' 

They preached the believer's union with Christ, 
his spiritual resurrection and his being a new 



Evangelism With the Baptismal Xote. 25 

creature, his prior need of a new heart within 
and a new life without as one risen from the 
dead ; and while baptism cannot work the change 
within, cannot make the heart new or help to 
make one clean of sin, cannot save or help to 
save, yet in marvelous fashion this wonderful 
ordinance gives an outward expression of these 
inner changes, demands a new heart of all who 
would be baptized, sets a line between the old 
life and the new, and requires newness of walk 
in all who wear its badge of distinction and honor. 

They preached that we do not belong to our- 
selves but to him who hath washed us in his own 
precious blood, to whom we owe all allegiance 
and loyalty — while baptism is the obedience of 
one saved through faith in Christ, and whose 
baptismal vows are his pledge to honor and serve 
the King. 

They preached triumph for this life with the 
final resurrection of the dead to follow — while 
baptism in a figure, clear and bold, is a forecast 
for the fulfillment of the promise, when the voice 
of the Son of man shall speak the word and the 
dead shall come from their graves. 

This New Testament ordinance holds all these 
great truths in symbol, and sets them out with 
something like dramatic efi^ect in the immersion 
of a believer upon profession of faith in Christ 
Jesus as his Saviour and Lord. So much so and 
with such power, that the sign is sometimes mis- 
taken for the thing signified, the shadow for the 
substance. But the distinction is clear and need 



26 Evangelism and Baptism. 

not be misunderstood. Appeal is sometimes made 
to the symbolism of its form in proof of im- 
mersion, the rather should we appeal to the ordi- 
nance in its symbolic import to enforce the won- 
derful things for which it stands. Baptism de- 
mands a new heart indeed, but a new heart also 
demands baptism, which is ''the answer of a 
good conscience toward God." The question of 
the Ethiopian convert — ''See, here is water ; what 
doth hinder me to be baptized?" is at the very 
base of the philosophy of Christian experience 
and life. 

Following the New Testament Example. 

Such is the place and rank assigned the great 
ordinance in the evangelistic services of the New 
Testament. Such is the one New Testament pat- 
tern set for evangelism in the churches and there 
is no mistaking the baptismal note throughout its 
pages. It was fitting then, and cannot be out of 
place for modern Christianity. It shows the base 
lines on which the work v/as conducted then with 
power and efifectiveness. It may be our despair 
or inspiration — despair if the note is too high for 
us, but inspiration if only we can grow its spirit, 
hold steadfastly to its standard and lofty en- 
deavor. Surely it miust be right to follow where 
the New Testament leads. 

We should not be deterred because baptism 
has sometimes been overdone as an ordinance, 
for it has sometimes also been fearfully under- 



EcangcJisni With the Baptismal Xotc. 27 

estimated. All the more indeed should we set 
ourselves to maintain its New Testament stand- 
ard and spirit, position, meaning and use, as a 
thing commanded of the King and holding in 
symbol the achievements of grace which he has 
wrought. 

The Modern Reformer's Misfit. 

The ordinance has suffered, and consequent!}- 
the truth which it conveys has also sufifered, by 
reaction from men who have gone to the extreme 
of- either overwTought or inadequate view^s. To 
stand between, say the word that ought to be 
said, insist on a return to New Testam.ent sim- 
plicity, teaching and standards, is indeed a mis- 
sion altogether worthy, and should comimand the 
attention of Christian people everyw^here. 

Baptism was sadly misplaced by Alexander 
Campbell, and in his hands lost its real value, 
its original spirit and purpose, and incidentally 
suffered even as to its "mode" — more perhaps 
than from any other one man of modern times. He 
turned away from his formicr pedobaptist notion, 
that baptism is a ''mere rite," a ''mere ceremony," 
an "externality in religion" of little or no conse- 
quence, but immediately went to the other ex- 
tremic, and developed his theory of salvation 
through obedience in this specific act. He did 
not put too much stress upon obedience, but mis- 
placed it egregiously in the scheme of grace. 

Had he spent his strength in magnifying obedi- 
ence as essential in the divine economv, and in- 



28 Evangelism and Baptism. 

sisted on baptism as the obedience of the saved 
man, then he would have wrought a reformation 
indeed, and brought the whole Christian world 
under obligation to him. But as it was, though 
he came so close to a principle of tremendous 
moment, he yet missed it so far as to develop, or 
rather revise in perhaps modified form, the two 
most deadly errors in Christian history, namely, 
baptismal regeneration and baptismal remission 
of sins. 

The Christian world revolted and still revolts, 
though he won his followers and they have in- 
creased with the years while the evil continues to 
work its mischief. He and his followers have 
rendered valuable service in maintaining the 
meaning of the word baptism, and defending im- 
mersion as the original form, but they have done 
more harm than can ever be told in getting bap- 
tism misplaced in the Christian system and mis- 
fit in Christian experience. 

His right form became confused, even identi- 
fied, in the minds of the people with the wrong 
design. Devout people, caught in the confusion, 
revolt at Mr. Campbeirs wrong ''design of bap- 
tism,'' and think they are revolting from his 
''mode of baptism." And the reaction has gone 
so far and with such hurtful influence that obedi- 
ence itself is discounted and discredited as funda- 
mental and essential in the divine government. 



Evangelism With the Baptismal Note, 29 

Still Making Our Plea. 

Over against all this stands our plea for the 
ordinance in its proper spirit, form and purpose. 
Indeed, baptism itself with its New Testament 
significance and emphasis is a profound and oft 
repeated protest against Campbell's whole false 
and ruinous scheme. With that discarded, the 
plea is renewed for the baptismal note in our evan- 
gelistic work as sounded throughout the New 
Testament and as a note which has the honor of 
heaven upon it. 

We need to grow in ourselves a rich sentiment 
for the ordinance, a sentiment which magnifies 
its usefulness, greatness and didactic power; be- 
cause it is commanded of our Lord and requires 
obedience and fulfillment of his word ; because 
he himself v/alked in this way, a baptized Saviour 
leading a saved and baptized people ; and because 
he has charged the ordinance in its symbolic imi- 
port with such tremendous significance, making 
it to reflect his honor, his gracious work of grace 
within, and his achievement of resurrection power 
and glory, both as historic monument for the past 
and prophetic foregleam of triumphant future. 



II. 

THE SPIRIT, FORM AND PURPOSE OF 
BAPTISM.- 



"Go }'e, therefore, and make disciples of all 
nations, baptizing them into the name of the 
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; 
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever 
I have commanded you ; and, lo, I am with you 
alway, even unto the end of the Vv^orld.'' — Matt. 
28: 19, 20. 

This is the final article, but three, of a series 
written in the last six or seven months, and pub- 
lished in the denominational papers. This method 
of publication was chosen partly to avoid the mo- 
notony of a series, but also for the further double 
object of securing a v/ider range of reading and to 
serve these papers by contributing to their col- 
umns. The several papers were selected som.e- 
times on the request of the editor, and sometimes 
on local conditions — with regret that there were 
not enough articles to include all the papers. The 
articles were written but not published in the 
order here named — some of them at this writing 
having not yet been published : 

1. 'The Greatest of All Easter Pictures.'' 

2. "The One Million Baptisms." 

* The Word and ^yay, Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 25, 1915. 
(30) 



The Spirit, Form and Purpose. 3I 

3. Two Memorials with One Meaning. 

4. Evangelism w^ith the Baptismal Note. 

5. Baptism a Figure of Salvation. 

6. Baptism and the Wonder^ of Pentecost. 

7. The Baptism of Saul of Tarsus. 

8. Left His Chariot to Be Baptized. 

9. The Relation of the Ordinances. 

10. Baptists and the Evangelical Faith. 

11. The Voice of Conscience in Baptism. 

12. The Spirit, Form and Purpose of Baptism. 

13. The Lord's Supper in Revival Meetings. 

14. Magnifying the Local Church. 

15. Will Sprinkling Do as Well for Baptism? 

These articles were a grow^th, not having spe- 
cial connection, but not without continuity of 
thought and common aim. They assume through- 
out that the great ordinance requires a given 
spirit, and form, and purpose, as essential to its 
integrity and lofty mission. If this were not 
true the discussions would be without meaning 
and the articles impossible. Every question con- 
cerning baptism, whether of spirit, or form, or 
purpose, or whatsoever, rests back on the New 
Testament for final appeal in definition and deci- 
sion. This is the supreme- standard not as 
against the Old Testament in any way, but be- 
cause the new system must have its government 
in the New Testament, which holds within its 
record not only Christ's history but also his word 
and will. 



32 Evangelism and Baptism, 

Christ Sets Baptism in Place. 

The words at the head of this article, known 
everywhere as the great commission, were spoken 
at the cHmax of his earthly career, and compre- 
hended the future ages in the magnitude and 
beneficence of this glorious enterprise. From 
this comes as its rich product all Christian life, 
history and literature. They indicate at the very 
start and with impressive emphasis what is to 
be the spirit and form and purpose of this great 
ordinance which he was comrnitting to his dis- 
ciples. Whatever baptism is, it is because our 
Lord so commanded. It was to go wherever his 
disciples and his gospel went, was their obliga- 
tion and privilege, and was to share in the honor 
and glory of the mighty things they were to do. 
If for any consideration we think of baptism as 
being lower than the commission, we at once get 
below the estimate which Christ had and com- 
manded concerning it. 

He made promise of his personal presence in 
five items, and we may expect the presence of our 
Lord in one as in the others, namely, in going 
as missionaries, in making disciples, in baptizing, 
in teaching the observance of his commandments, 
and all this for the ages. This must mean that 
he in his august and gracious person is present 
in our baptizing and being baptized, that every 
baptism rightly conducted repeats somewhat the 
scene of his own baptism in the Jordan, and 
shines in the glory of the eternal Godhead, This 



The Spirit, Form and Purpose, 33 

gives to the simple Christian ceremony a renown 
and dignity beyond human thought, and should 
guarantee on our part the right spirit, and form 
and purpose, as he intended and commanded. 
This alone is worthy and comports with the high 
course which he himself marked out both in pre- 
cept and example. It makes plain and gives defi- 
nite emphasis to the proper spirit essential in its 
administration. 

The Spirit Which It Requires. 

It is the threefold spirit of faith, obedience and 
worship. This is of the very genius and spirit 
of baptizing into the name of the persons of the 
Godhead. That formula means all this and much 
more. Being first an outward physical act — one 
which some count homely — baptism is yet a great 
sentiment born of the richest and most blessed 
experience possible in the human soul — a senti- 
ment to be sought and cultivated by all who share 
in the beautiful ceremony. Much depends here 
upon the preacher who has the service in charge, 
not however by any sacerdotal or ecclesiastical 
right. But his own spirit of devotion, his atti- 
tude of heart and mind toward the ordinance, his 
delicacy and efficiency of management — these are 
the things which carry into baptism the spirit of 
worship and give its observance devout sacred- 
ness of meaning. It is a ceremonial service which 
should be undertaken only by such persons as 
come into it with faith and sincerity, with no 
misgiving as to its being what Jesus requires, and 

3 



34 Evangelism and Baptism. 

who are capable of heart and head to feel the 
touch of its wonderful and momentous symbol of 
burial and resurrection from the dead. 

There is danger lest in this great transaction 
we have the letter and miss the spirit, have the 
form and miss the beauty and power of its mean- 
ing — not that baptism is a prescribed form of 
worship — by no means. For there are no pre- 
scribed forms of worship, whether this or that, 
provided only that God be worshiped in spirit 
and in truth. However, baptism is a ceremony 
of such ceremonial character in its relation to 
the Godhead as requires the heart of devout wor- 
ship and this in turn means the spirit of faith 
and sincerity, of willing and loyal obedience to 
him who gave us the ordinance and in his own 
life set the model of its observance. It is for 
those — and only those — who repent and have 
faith in him as Lord and Saviour, and can for 
themselves render this great act of personal 
obedience. 

Giving Up One and Choosing Another. 

This is finely illustrated in the case of Dr. 
Adoniram Judson and his noble wife, pioneer 
missionaries of a century ago. While en route 
to the missionary field, in the study of the New 
Testament while sailing the high seas, they 
changed their views of baptism and foresaw at 
once an inevitable change in their denominational 
connection. They discarded infant baptism both 



The Spirit, Form and Purpose. 35 

of themselves and as a New Testament practice, 
abandoned sprinkling as baptism, saw immersion 
as the only form, and cam.e to the feeling, deep 
and strong of personal conviction, that baptism 
must be a personal obedience. It was a wrench- 
ing of soul to them in the struggle, but satisfac- 
tion and joy in its consummation. It cost them 
such sacrifices as try the souls of men, but they 
came to the ordinance with an abiding feeling of 
peace and devoutness of spirit. 

''We expect soon to be baptized,'' Mrs. Judson 
wrote home, reciting the cause of their action, 
telling of their struggle and trial of heart, of 
their satisfaction and joyous spirit in walking in 
this way of their Lord, and added : ''Oh, may our 
hearts be prepared for that holy ordinance !'' A 
noble sentiment indeed and well becoming the 
great service which they had in mind, a sentiment 
just as sacred, rich in emotional power, and 
marked with spiritual fervor, as belongs to its 
companion ceremony, the memorial supper of 
our Lord — the great souvenir of the cross. 

The Name Determines Its Form. 

In addition and equally with all this, the form 
of baptism is also essential to the integrity of the 
ordinance and indispensable to its observance. Its 
form cannot take the place of its spirit, neither 
can its spirit take the place of its form. Back of 
the life, leaf and fruit of the tree, is the tree-form 
essential to their expression and even basal to 



36 Evangelism and Baptism, 

their outward growth of beauty and richness. 
While baptism is not a prescribed form of wor- 
ship, it has itself a form of its own. That form 
is prescribed in unvarying regularity in its name. 
Its name is its form^ baptize equaling immerse, 
baptism equaling immersion. This word — the 
one word used always to name the ordinance — 
always means immerse, literally as when Jesus 
was immersed in the river Jordan, or figuratively 
as when Paul speaks of being ^^buried with Christ 
by baptism into death.'' This is the one New 
Testament word for the ordinance, and the one 
New Testament pattern for its observance. With- 
out it there can be no baptism, as there can be no 
immersion without an immersion. 

There are other words for other forms in mod- 
ern use, but they are not of the New Testament 
to describe this ordinance. There are Greek 
words for pouring and sprinkling and washing, 
but not one of them is ever applied to baptism in 
any way. It is the one ordinance with the one 
word — baptize; and no other word in any lan- 
guage has been so sifted in the world of scholar- 
ship by friend and foe, as this word, and after 
years of conflict, more today than ever before, it 
marks baptism as a physical act of immersion. 
And the ordinance with its rich sentiment, its 
spiritual meaning, even in the rapture of wor- 
ship, cannot get away from this one word with 
its one meaning — first the immersion as the 
physical act and then comes all its spiritual sig- 
nificance. 



The Spirit, Form and Purpose. 37 

The other forms, or "other modes/' of baptism, 
have been inherited from Romanism by modern 
Christianity. But these are not of the New Tes- 
tament. The issue of the one form with ''the 
other modes/' in the last analysis, is almost ex- 
clusively an issue between the New Testament 
and the Roman Catholic claim of authority. On 
their boasted right to change the ordinance they 
made infants, even unborn infants, proper sub- 
jects of baptism, substituted for immersion pour- 
ing and sprinkling as suitable ''modes" for its 
administration, and displaced the simplicity and 
beauty of its New Testament purpose with the 
"design of baptism,'' which gave the whole world 
some of the most fearful doctrines that have 
blackened the pages of Christian history. So 
that the simple question confronts modern Chris- 
tianity concerning this great ordinance, shall we 
follow New Testament baptism or "the modes 
of baptism" which we have inherited from the 
city of the Caesars? See pages 149, 150. 

The Greeks Not as the Romans. 

This is no guess work or theory, but matter of 
history well known and easily verified. With the 
Greek Catholic church it has been quite different. 
They through the centuries have held to immer- 
sion as the one original form, and their testimony 
at this point is more worthy than the testimony 
of Rome — especially as Rome confessedly and 
boastfully changed the one original form to the 



38 Evangelism and Baptism. 

use of ''other modes which will do as well/' Some 
months ago I met a member of the Greek church 
— devout, spiritually minded, comparatively a 
young man, of ability and culture, a foreigner, 
but his nationality cannot now be recalled. He 
had graduated after the usual course from an 
American university, and was now a traveling 
salesman ''to see the country and learn the lan- 
guage/' Our conversation ran easily enough into 
experimental religion. As he told of his experi- 
ence and membership in the church, I asked if 
he had been baptized when an infant. "Oh, cer- 
tainly,'' he answered with feeling of pride. "How 
were you baptized ?" I asked, and his answer was 
prompt and with evident emphasis, "I was bap- 
tized by submersion/' "Why do you use that 
word — submersion?" I asked. His answer was 
earnest : "Because we do not want any mistake 
about it," and proceeded to explain how they did 
not want their "baptism misunderstood," and 
how his people cherished their "history of bap- 
tism" as against "the effrontery of Rome" in 
doing away with the original and creating new 
"modes for its administration." 

The One Standard for All. 

But this question is of the New Testament and 
cannot be settled by Catholic authority, either 
Greek or Roman, or by conditions which have 
come down from them. They have created a 
Christianity which the world is repudiating, but 



The Spirit, Form and Purpose. 39 

which is far removed from the New Testament. 
Many people today revolt from 'The Church," 
and think they are revolting from Christ and the 
New Testament. This course is more common in 
the old country but is taking place also even in 
America. We must get back to our base and make 
our appeal to the New Testament with its ideals, 
and the one common standard in baptism as in 
other things. On one of the streets of Nashville 
there are four jewelry stores within as many 
blocks. In the window of each lies a small regula- 
tor. The passerby finds all four giving the same 
time to the minute and second, and knows there 
must be somewhere a common standard. The 
same would be true with a hundred regulators. 
Baptism was neither the cause nor occasion for 
the division among Christians, but in the course 
of years it has become more deeply rooted in that 
division than perhaps any other one question, and 
is the most manifest signal of where they stand 
apart — their baptism serving as their colors and 
the banner of their belief. In this division of 
sentiment, or judgment, or opinion, there must 
be the one standard of appeal if order and one- 
ness ever come from the confusion. As division 
came in departure from New Testament simplic- 
ity, so the easiest and surest return to union will 
be in returning to the New Testament pattern in 
beHef and practice. 



40 Evangelism and Baptisfn. 

The Right Purpose Essential. 

In this connection the New Testament purpose 
of baptism calls for special attention and empha- 
sis. This is of fundamental importance and a 
large factor in the right adjustment of these vital 
and momentous questions. Departure from its 
simple purpose has been the most fruitful source 
of other errors and false views of baptism. The 
changes through the changing years at times have 
been fearful to contemplate, have well-nigh 
wrecked the great ordinance and completely 
wrenched it from the New Testament base and 
significance. What was its purpose at the first 
must be its purpose now, and like its spirit and 
form is essential to its integrity and its right 
observance. Missing the mark at this point will 
drive us far afield at almost every other point, 
and land us in total misunderstanding of the great 
ordinance, and oftentimes of even the great doc- 
trines. 

The prime purpose of baptism is obedience to 
Christ, an acknowledgment of his reign in the 
new life. The believer in being baptized puts on 
the Christ uniform and makes open avowal of 
his allegiance to the New King. This purpose 
is made first and basal because of the spirit of 
baptism — ^believing, obedient, worshipful. Its 
very heart beat is in the words : ''What will thou 
have me to do ?" It is direct obedience to Christ's 
direct word, heart to heart and each one answer- 
ing for himself in the great ordinance. The new 



The Spirit, Form and Purpose. 4I 

convert in the first glow of his new hope, if asked 
why he seeks baptism, will probably answer, either 
because he loves Christ and wants to obey him, 
or because Christ was baptized and he wants to 
follow him. This is simple, and as viewed by 
some of little consequence, but it is of far-reach- 
ing significance in expressing this foremost pur- 
pose of baptism — keeping Christ's commandments 
because we love him and because of loyalty to 
him as our Lord and Saviour. 

A Word in Conclusion. 

This first and essential purpose of the great or- 
dinance leads easily to its further and larger 
meaning — its confession of faith, its wonderful 
figure and symbol, its monumental and memorial 
character, its outward expression and signet of 
the work of grace in the heart, and its drawing 
the line between the old life and the new. For 
one reason or another men may fail to discern 
its beauty and meaning, and miss its great power 
to show the gospel in symbol. But not so in the 
New Testament where its every mention indi- 
cates its exalted and essential place in the Chris- 
tian system. 

Our Lord, we may be sure, carried all this, so 
far as applying to him, into his baptism, and in 
his own glorious person made the occasion at the 
Jordan one of the most august scenes in his won- 
derful life. 'Thus it becometh us to fulfill all 
righteousness'' — doing the right thing, in the 



42 Evangelmn and Baptism. 

right way, with the right spirit, and for the right 
purpose. Will this great question of baptism 
ever be settled ? Will the breach in the Christian 
world ever be healed? Indifference to the ques- 
tion is a grievous answer, so also the spirit of 
strife, prejudice and pride of opinion. ''When the 
Son of man cometh will he find faith on the 
earth'' — faithfulness in keeping the ordinances of 
the Lord's house? 



III. 

THE '^ONE MILLION BAPTISMS."* 



The Baptists of the South are profoundly in- 
terested in the bold and commanding 'Tive-Year- 
Program," lately set out by the Baptists of the 
North. It appeals to me because of its simplicity, 
its comprehensiveness, its far-reaching practical 
worth, and its daring to count on the future. It 
is a worthy conception with the sweep and im- 
pulse of a mighty purpose. Its five objectives — 
1,000,000 baptisms, 5,000 new missionaries, 
$2,000,000 increase in the funds of the Ministers 
and Missionaries Benefit Board, $6,000,000 for 
education, an annual budget of $6,000,000 — all 
of them appeal to me as being distinct, yet co- 
ordinated and unified in one commanding purpose 
— a great task for a great people. 

This word is prompted by the excellent edi- 
torial in The Watchman-Examiner of July 15. I, 
of course, make no issue with the able editor, as 
he speaks for himself and quotes from Dr. James 
M. Gray against the ''insidious evil" of ''counting 
numbers" and getting "padded membership in 
our churches." Indeed, I rather agree with them, 
if possible with added emphasis, for the whole 
business of counting is pernicious. It is a delu- 

* Watchman-Examiner, New York, Aug. 12, 1915. 

(43) 



44 Evangelism and Baptism, 

sion and a snare — as it has been carried on. It 
deserves severe and every possible rebuke from 
all sources. 

But may I venture the question, Is there not 
another side, a large and loftier view of the 
1,000,000 baptisms contemplated in the Five- 
Year-Program? It would be a grievous thing 
to let so great and grave a matter run to waste 
in empty discussion — literally '^to play out'' in 
peanuts and peanut vines. Why may not the 
great program bring in a new day and even set 
a new standard for counting? It would be a 
commendable reform, and is much needed. 
Surely it must be right to set figures in the plan 
and purpose, for comparison in results when the 
results come. 

Can we avoid the bane and almost curse which 
comes from a wrong use of counting, and yet 
hold the good and inspiration of the commanding 
figures of a million new-born souls, expressing 
their new hope and resurrection experience by 
following the Lord in baptism — a baptized mil- 
lion following a baptized Saviour as their Lord 
and King? We need not ''count chickens before 
they are hatched," but surely we may busy our- 
selves in securing eggs worth while, seeing that 
they have a good setting, and then wait for the 
hatching. And, furthermore, in the New Testa- 
ment period were not the early triumphs of the 
gospel expressed in terms of baptism? Three 
thousand baptisms at Pentecost and five thousand 
baptisms at a later date certainly meant glorious 



The One Millioti Baptisms. 45 

triumphs for the cross ! No other one word can 
say the thing quite so well as the word baptism, 
if only we use the word intelligently and hold the 
great ordinance in its broader, loftier and richer 
meaning. 

Baptism Cannot Be Over-Emphasized. 

There is no danger of over-emphasizing the 
great and beautiful ordinance if only we adhere 
in thought and speech to the New Testament plan 
and pattern. Indeed, the ordinance of baptism 
cannot be over-emphasized so long as we count 
it the obedience of a saved person. For obedi- 
ence, the keeping of God's laws and the living 
out his will among men, is the supreme service, 
as Saul the son of Kish learned to his undoing 
— better than sacrifice and burnt offering now as 
then, in baptism as in other things bearing the 
seal of high heaven. 

This wonderful ordinance holds a command- 
ing place in New Testam^ent history. It w^on for 
John the name Baptizer. Christ followed him in 
baptizing more than John, though he baptized not, 
but his disciples. It was set midway of the great 
commission as glorified in the glory of the God- 
head and for all the evangelistic campaigns in 
the centuries to follow. In all the great evan- 
gelistic campaigns of the New Testament this 
ordinance was brought to the fore and delivered 
its charming message of resurrection power, as 
shown first in the resurrection of Jesus from the 



46 Evangelism and Baptism. 

new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and ever 
afterward in the spiritual resurrection of everyone 
who beHeves in Jesus, and tells by symbolic im- 
port as no words can tell both of the believer's 
union with Christ and also of the brotherhood 
of believers in him. 

We have largely lost all that, for the baptismal 
note has been sadly missing from the evangelistic 
campaigns of the last quarter of a century. Even 
if it had been only the loss of a picture, it is a^ 
picture of marvelous didactic power, more power- 
ful in many respects than even the spoken word. 
Whenever the great ordinances have been hon- 
ored, rightly estimated, interpreted and used, 
there has been a corresponding power and bless- 
ing. 

This 1,000,000 baptisms in the Five- Year- 
Program of the Baptists at the North — may we 
think of it as their eflfort to turn the tide that has 
been running so strong with them and us, and 
an effort on their part to give the great ordinance 
its rightful place, with its opportunity to say the 
things that it can say with such emphasis and 
that need to be said at this time and everywhere ? 
For baptism and the Lord's Supper are powerful, 
not only in evangelistic appeal and efficiency, but 
powerful also in maintaining evangelical truth. 
If one thinks rightly according to their word he 
cannot go far astray concerning any of the mat- 
ters counted worth while among evangelical 
Christians. They stand in their didactic empha- 
sis for the very teaching that has given our peo- 



The One Million Baptisms. 47 

pie rank and distinction among other evangelical 
denominations. 

In Christian Union Relative to Baptist 
Churches, a book lately published, I have ven- 
tured the following word concerning this very 
matter : 

''Baptism was not at the first either the cause 
or occasion of division, but Christendom will not 
be reunited until this great ordinance, so full of 
wonderful and didactic meaning, has its rightful 
adjustment and is accorded New Testament posi- 
tion in modern Christianity. There is need for 
fresh study of the ordinances in their relation to 
Christian history, doctrine, experience and life 
as set forth in the New Testament. And this 
more than we dream, perhaps, may bring a re- 
turn to primitive Christianity and so prove the 
highway to Christian union. It is a wonderful 
story these ordinances tell — Baptism and the Me- 
morial Supper — if only they be allowed to speak 
their words untrammeled and unembarrassed. 
There is scarcely a fundamental doctrine in the 
whole Christian system that does not get didaetic 
emphasis with illumination and power in one or 
both of these ordinances." 

The Baptisms Fundamental. 

From my point of view, perhaps from the point 
of view of our people generally, there is a high 
and commanding sense in which the 1,000,000 
baptisms may serve as the undergirding and 



48 Evangelism and Baptism. 

guarantee of the other four items in the program, 
tremendous as they are. One thing is certain, all 
the energies of heart and mind, all the wise plan- 
ning and directing methods essential to securing 
the 1,000,000 baptisms, will be essential also for 
bringing in the other four or any one of them. It 
may not have the first place in importance, though 
I would not say that, yet it does hold the first place 
as its logical place. There we must start and there 
we shall make our highway to success. Those 
who made the program were thinking logically, 
and those who make a success of the program 
will find their logical starting place in evangeliz- 
ing, which must, of course, go before baptizing, 
whether of one or one million. 

The 1,000,000 baptisms, then, as it stands in 
the program, will demand of us as a people that 
we be evangelical in doctrine and evangelistic in 
spirit, purpose, method and effort— taking heed 
unto ourselves and unto our doctrine, that we may 
save both ourselves and them that hear us. This 
is the demand of the hour, and the program com- 
mittee has set it forward with tremendous weight 
and energy as underlying all else with this plea 
for 1,000,000 baptisms. It means that pastors 
must be evangelistic in preaching, that churches 
must be evangelistic in planning and effort, that 
individual Christians must be evangelistic in life 
and personal effort, that the saved of the Lord 
must themselves save others. It means that our 
schools and colleges must be evangelistic, evan- 
gelistic centers where men and women are born 



The One Million Baptisms. 49 

unto God, that teachers in our schools, that pres- 
idents of colleges and universities must be men 
of God, evangelical and evangelistic in winning 
men to Christ and to his likeness in character and 
service. 

This will be a new day in Zion; rather a re- 
turn to the old days with the fresh power of new 
times. I can remember when it was said as a 
matter of common report that when the class at 
Brown University reached the senior year and 
came under the teaching of the great Wayland a 
revival was almost inevitable. Our own James 
P. Boyce, of South Carolina, found the Lord, as 
I have understood, in the leadership of this mas- 
ter among college men, was led to Christ in the 
classroom by a university president, and after- 
ward through successive years wrought wonders 
among Southern Baptists. 

This is a noble example worthy of all imita- 
tion, justifies and gives emphasis to the commit- 
tee's work whether in making or carrying out 
their program. Brown University as an evan- 
gelistic center would be a commanding and thrill- 
ing spectacle, a powerful example to all our 
schools and colleges throughout the country, both 
North and South. This would make easy the 
$6,000,000 for education, and other millions would 
follow. 

One million baptisms surely enough, and in the 
full meaning of the word, will go far toward a 
successful and triumphant consummation of the 
program in fullness. I have ventured to write 

4 



50 Evangelism and Ba^ptism. 

these things out of my heart as a salutation to 
my brethren at the North. Their work will mean 
a better church life and membership, will mean 
a larger, holier and more practical use of the 
ordinances than we have hitherto given them. 
It gets back on the base lines of New Testament 
life, sets first things first, and the rest is sure to 
follow. 



IV. 

"THE GREATEST OF ALL EASTER PIC- 
TURES r OR, THE RESURRECTION 
OF JESUS AS SEEN IN BAPTISM.^^ 



Viewed as symbol, sign or picture, or simple 
ceremonial service, baptism makes a powerful 
plea and apologetic for the Cross and the Risen 
Christ. Like the cross itself, the beautiful ordi- 
nance is a paradox, representing at once defeat 
and triumph, death and resurrection — two pic- 
tures in one. "As oft as ye eat this bread and 
drink this cup," as oft also as ye baptize, "ye 
do show the Lord's death till he come.'' 

This article gives in outline the substance of 
the lesson we had on "Easter Sunday" in my 
class — an Adult Bible Class in the Sunday school 
of the First Baptist church, Nashville, Tenn. The 
title in part and largely the thought were bor- 
rowed from a unique and remarkably fine ser- 
mon preached by Dr. Howard Lee Jones, presi- 
dent now of Coker College, but then pastor of 
Citadel Square Baptist church, Charleston, S. C. 
The sermon was published at the time in the 
Baptist Courier, but recently re-published by the 
Sunday School Board, with a collection of 

* Western Recorder, Louisville, Ky., July 29, 1915. 

(51) 



52 Evangelism and Baptism, 

articles in a small book called ''Christian Union 
Relative to Baptist Churches/' I care nothing 
for Easter, am averse to it as a calendar day in 
the "church year/' The title, how^ever, is attract- 
ive, the conception is beautiful and impressive, 
deserving to be perpetuated and passed around. 

The regular Uniform Lesson for that morning 
was, ''The Rebuke from Samuel and the Rejec- 
tion of Saul for His Failure to Carry Out the 
Word of the Lord,'' emphasizing obedience as 
the supreme service. This great lesson in the 
regular course was not set aside for the special 
lesson, but was emphasized by being made the 
background of the picture. For baptism, what- 
ever else it may have or teach, is primarily an 
act of obedience which Christ requires of those 
who love him — the obedience of the saved man in 
honor of his Saviour. And in baptism, as in other 
things, to obey is better than sacrifice and all 
burnt offering. 

I. This picture of baptism has for its frame 
the environment in which it is administered. The 
great original was in the Jordan, and the august 
occasion of the baptism of Jesus. The frame is 
not the picture itself, but may add much to mar 
or to set out its beauty and significance. Some 
of the most beautiful pictures in my memory are 
baptismal scenes — in baptistries of more or less 
attractiveness, in beautiful streams of running 
water, in the pool out in the open woodland — 
all aiming to copy as near as may be the great 
original in spirit, form and purpose. 



Greatest of All Easter Pictures. 53 

The masterpieces of art in their originals are 
kept for the most part in the great art galleries 
of the world, but copies of them are carried al- 
most broadcast. We demand precision in the re- 
production whatever its frame, being sure always 
that we have the picture — an immersion in water 
with the best possible environment. 

2. A picture requires a good light, with right 
reflection, to be seen in its real power of touch 
and beauty. This is imperative, or the mightiest 
pieces of art count for nothing. There must be 
a right eye and a right light, or nothing is seen. 
The light of the open heavens was upon the orig- 
inal of our picture and the occasion was made 
glorious in the Father's presence and approval. 

The glory of God has been upon every right 
baptism to this day, and in a great sense suffi- 
cient to awaken awe, reverence and worship. Ad- 
ministered into the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, this simple cere- 
mony becomes sublime as an act of worship, is 
glorified in the glory of the Godhead. This far- 
off copy of the original is ablaze with heavenly 
splendor — if only we have eyes to see and a 
heart to respond to its touch. 

I recall a baptism late one afternoon. It was 
in a beautiful stream and the sun hung low in the 
western sky. The rays fell upon the water where 
the preacher stood and was so reflected, that from 
my position the whole scene was transfigured into 
a sheen of sunlit splendor — beautiful indeed, and 
remindful of the Jordan. We are buried with 



54 Evangelism and Baptism, 

Christ in baptism, that Hke as he was raised from 
the dead by the Glory of the Father, so we also 
being risen with him should walk in newness of 
life. 

Moreover, light from the Scriptures as the more 
sure word of prophecy is absolutely needful for 
a right study and interpretation of this wonder- 
ful picture. In an art gallery one carries a cata- 
logue as his guide, and before this picture the 
Bible is your only guide. A good woman called 
at my study on one occasion, much disturbed and 
even distressed about her baptism, with serious 
and almost painful misgiving about what she had 
received in infancy as baptism. As she led on 
in the conversation, I ventured to ask, '*But, in 
reading the Scriptures, what do you do with 
those passages which tell of baptism?'' Her 
answer was very prompt and serious: ''Oh, I 
skip them!'' The reply was significant and told 
a sad story of a soul in struggle and doubt as to 
personal duty. 

If you really want to see this picture in its true 
and wonderful meaning, let the light of the Word 
of God shine upon it in fullness. That will set- 
tle all questions and give this New Testament 
ordinance the place of rank and distinction which 
it should hold among those who follow our Lord. 

3. But the chief charm of a picture as an ele- 
ment of power and commanding hold on public 
attention is, after all, its subject and substance. 
This, indeed, is what makes the picture, whether 
of imaginative creation, or of some real event or 



Greatest of All Easter Pictures, 55 

person. A poor piece of art may yet be a great 
picture in its power to hold and stir the human 
heart, if only it represents some commanding his- 
toric character, or some deed of heroic daring, or 
some achievement that has startled the world and 
awakened a glad song in the history of human 
events. 

Here baptism, this simple New Testament serv- 
ice, comes to its full as a picture of the burial and 
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Oh, that wonderful 
word, if only its mighty meaning be gotten — ''We 
are buried with him in baptism, wherein also we 
are risen with him through the faith of the opera- 
tion of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 

This is the event which baptism as a picture 
puts before our very eyes, as the mightiest and 
most triumphant event in human history, not in- 
deed on canvas, however charming that might 
be, but in simple, beautiful, powerful action. 
Here, the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, 
empty of its holy treasure, is laid bare before our 
eyes — even the resurrection event — and we are 
asked again and again, ''Come, see the place 
where the Lord lay.'' 

And yet, baptism, however wonderful it is, 
needs supplementing as a picture and finds its 
supplement in the companion picture of the Lord's 
Supper. There are four elements to be presented 
concerning Christ; namely, his death, his burial, 
his resurrection, his resurrection life. The Lord's 
Supper shows his death and risen life, baptism 
his burial and resurrection — each a paradox and 



56 Evangelism and Baptism, 

a picture of double meaning. Dr. Sanday, of the 
Church of England, in his Commentary on Ro- 
mans, says strikingly and beautifully : ''Baptism 
corresponds to the three acts of Christ's atone- 
ment ; namely, Immersion equals death ; Submer- 
sion equals burial, or the ratification of death; 
Emergence equals resurrection.'' 

This, moreover, is the only picture, indeed the 
only symbol in all art or nature, of his resur- 
rection from the grave. Change the form of the 
great ordinance, and its meaning has gone. The 
master paintings in the art galleries of the world 
express in their form the thought and meaning of 
the artist. Change the form of the picture in 
color, or shading, or shape, and you destroy the 
picture. 

Herein is the drawing power of the baptismal 
picture, showing in one act how Christ died for 
our sins and was raised again for our justifica- 
tion, and now reigns as the risen Christ. One 
may know nothing of art, but he will call that 
a great picture which makes him laugh or weep, 
or moves his heart to rapturous joy. He may not 
know why, but the spell of the picture is on him. 
The language of the new-born soul is, ''See, here 
is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized," 
wanting to walk in the will and the way of his 
Lord, and to do the things that he has com- 
manded. 

I once heard a Christian man who did not 
believe in immersion admonish his good wife, 
who was expressing the wish to see a baptism : 



Greatest of All Easter Pictures, 57 

"Don't go near there, for if you do, you will 
surely want to go down in that pool.'' How little 
he realized the deep philosophy he was express- 
ing of Christian experience and life ! The pull 
of the picture is the measure of its power; its 
appeal to the new heart for a new life is its un- 
changeable testimony of pathos and power for the 
cross and the risen Christ. 

4. This picture of the resurrection of Jesus 
has one element in a marked way, that I venture 
to call the heroic, the daring, such as you can 
seldom find in art. The world's great pictures of 
Christ have their elements of power, but can 
hardly be said to show the heroic. The Sistine 
Madonna subdues us with the appeal of the quiet, 
beautiful, dignified face, the transfiguration scene 
has a mighty appeal in its heavenly splendor and 
glory, the descent from the cross almost breaks 
the heart as one looks on it, but none of these 
carry the elements of the heroic and the daring. 

But baptism is wonderful in what I want to 
call the unerring accuracy of its word and the 
dauntlessness of its testimony and sign-making 
power. It shows in living form before a gain- 
saying and materialistic world, nothing daunted, 
the resurrection of Jesus, the spiritual resurrec- 
tion of the believer, the final resurrection at the 
last day. These are the things which perhaps are 
the severest tests of faith, and yet baptism never 
once wavers in setting them forth in strong and 
beautiful pictorial power. Its word at all times is 
the word of triumph and of unquestioning cer- 



5g Evangelism and Baptism. 

tainty — like the old fashion guide-post that stands 
at the crossing of the roads and points its way, 
whether by day or night, whether in storm or sun- 
shine. 

This is the heroic, the daring, in this picture. 
How it does appeal to us and strengthen our faith 
in the risen Christ and awaken afresh our hope 
of the coming triumph over death and the grave. 
The glory of the past and the greater glory of the 
future center here to awaken our song of rejoic- 
ing. This is the surpassing beauty and power of 
the picture — standing by itself among pictures so 
simple, and yet so sublime, in its meaning and 
message. 

5. Its custody is in the hands of those who love 
our Lord — a baptized people following a bap- 
tized Saviour. They are its custodians for his 
sake. With jealous care the keeper watches the 
great art galleries of the world for the protection 
of the art treasures of the world. One may go in 
and see to his delight, but he must first leave on 
the outside whatever in any way might injure 
or mar the great pictures. 

In my book, ''C3ur Church Life,'' the following 
paragraph occurs in the chapter (page 81) on 
the Church and its Ordinances: 

''No one surely would enter a great cathedral 
and mar the beauty of its finish or spoil the pic- 
tures on its walls. But what of God's building, 
and what of these mighty pictures which he holds 
up before the world? To spoil baptism by per- 
version in any way, is like spoiling the new tomb 



Greatest of All Easter Pictures. 59 

in the garden ; the disfiguring of the Lord's Sup- 
per by misrepresentation is almost Hke disfigur- 
ing the cross on which the Prince of Glory died, 
or in some way marring or even mocking that 
awful tragedy which has been the wonder of the 
world for two thousand years. And yet these 
great ordinances are sometimes so changed and 
disfigured that there is no resemblance to burial 
or the empty tomb, no resemblance either to the 
cross or to the atonement which came in the shed- 
ding of blood as the purchase price of redemp- 
tion." 

This should concern us deeply. It is our high 
obligation and loyalty to our Lord, to preserve 
these great pictures in their spirit, form and 
purpose. To have in our keeping, such pictures 
gives renown and glory to our trust, and is a 
challenge to our faithfulness. We dare not dele- 
gate this trust to another, but count our repon- 
sibility for their keeping, as individual Chris- 
tians and churches, our joy and crown of rejoic- 
ing. 

Their keeping as committed to us is our high- 
est honor, and almost our strongest word for the 
cross and the Risen Christ. Had not Christ come 
and taught, there would be no Christianity; had 
not Christ died on the cross for sin and salvation, 
there would be no church with its baptism and 
supper; had not Christ risen from the dead, there 
would be no Christendom. 



V. 

BAPTISM AND THE WONDERS OF 
PENTECOST.* 



''Repent, and be baptized every one of you in 
the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of 
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy 
Spirit. . . Then they that gladly received his 
word were baptized : and the same day there were 
added unto them about three thousand souls. 
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' 
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of 
bread, and in prayer.'' — Acts 2: 38, 41, 42. 

Pentecost was a signal day, the consumma- 
tion of historic movements and a new start in 
God's grace for human redemption. So gracious 
and glorious were its wonders that the very name, 
losing almost its glory in Hebrew history, became 
the synonym and symbol in Christian history for 
the demonstration and power of the Spirit. In 
the climax of the day's wonders the baptismal 
ceremony is brought to the front, and then at the 
close of the day made to tell the magnitude of its 
achievements. For the ordinance to have place 
at all in such environment was remarkable, but 
to have such mention and use marks its com- 
manding place in the Christian system. 

* The Convention Teacher, Nashville, Tenn., January, 1916. 
(60) 



The Wonders of Pentecost. gj 

The memory of Pentecost and its wonders of 
grace, wherever it stirs the soul of Christian peo- 
ple, should not fail to crown this simple Chris- 
tian rite with distinction and honor. It shares 
in the renown of that day as an essential part of 
the wonderful service, and must be now of the 
same importance, nature and meaning. Its mean- 
ing then and now is largely a meaning of mes- 
sage, rather than of mystic efficacy or conveyor 
of grace. We have been so consumed in our dis- 
cussion of what baptism may or may not do for 
man, we have largely overlooked its powerful 
word in symbol for God in his scheme of grace, 
for Christ in his atonement for sin, and for the 
evangelical faith set out in the New Testament 
and held largely in common by all Christian peo- 
ple. 

Among the Antecedents of Pentecost. 

Baptism was not a product of Pentecost, not 
something new introduced then for the first time. 
As an ordinance it had been appointed before- 
hand as part of the equipment. It came to the 
front with commanding ease, and served its pur- 
pose when the new condition broke with startling 
suddenness upon the little band in their season 
of prayer. This was the disciples' first mention 
of the ordinance, and their first public service also 
since they were commissioned to the colossal task 
of world conquest. This fact was a new em- 
phasis for baptism and magnified its place among 
the antecedents of Pentecost. 



^ Evangelism and Baptism. 

These antecedents were history, and baptism 
had been one of the most conspicuous factors. It 
had its rise with the ministry of John, whom God 
sent to baptize and whose baptism had its center 
and crown of distinction in his baptizing Jesus 
in the Jordan. Multitudes had flocked to John's 
baptism, as a baptism from heaven and not of 
men, and were immersed in symbol of their re- 
pentance and remission of sins. With the em- 
phasis of intervening events the ordinance had 
come to its place of command in the commission, 
and as an institution in the new system was well 
known by the disciples as part of their trust, dur- 
ing the days of their assembling with one accord 
for prayer — waiting for the coming of the prom- 
ise. 

This day was their new day. They had been 
under the ministry of Jesus, had seen him die on 
the cross and learned its new meaning, had seen 
his resurrection power and something of its glory, 
had come through those forty days of remarkable 
training — the risen Christ meanwhile coming and 
going among them and giving commandments 
through the Holy Spirit — had finally seen him 
ascend into heaven to take his place at the right 
hand of the Majesty on high for the fulfillment 
of his word. What a company they were, as they 
waited with their commission unused for making 
disciples, baptizing and teaching — but ready for 
use when they were in the sweep and joy of the 
heavenly power newly come. 



The Wonders of Pentecost. g3 

Repentance First and Then Baptism. 

This was the stated order, the one an experi- 
ence of the heart Godward, the other an act of 
ceremonial obedience as its sign and symbol. ''Re- 
pent, and be baptized every one of you in the 
name of Jesus Christ" — was the commanding 
word to meet the crucial emergency in the storm- 
like sweep of Pentecost. It was a new emphasis 
for the greatness of the ordinance, while the ordi- 
nance itself took on a deeper and even richer 
meaning. It showed baptism a personal obligation 
preceded by a personal experience, a personal 
privilege and joy for such as have a new heart, 
and declaration of personal allegiance and loyalty 
to Jesus, having died on the cross, but now risen 
from the dead and at the right hand of God as 
the Messiah of Israel and the Prince of Glory. 
It was a great hour in preaching the gospel, a 
new honor for the ordinance, and set a new stand- 
ard for evangelizing the world. 

It is not known by whom the apostle was bap- 
tized, or just how he came to his exalted and 
ripened view of its ceremonial beauty and power. 
He knew of repentance both by instruction and 
from bitter experience, had large share in the 
antecedents in which baptism came to Pentecost 
in the fullness and ripeness of its meaning, and 
withal ''spoke as the Spirit gave him utterance." 
So when the climax came in a kind of spiritual 
cyclone, he was ready with his word in masterful 
composure, and set baptism over against repent- 



64 Evangelism and Baptism. 

ance — an external ceremony to serve the noble 
purpose of expressing the deep things of the re- 
newed heart. 

In a certain sense it was a new day in preaching, 
for there was new power and larger opportunity, 
but no change of relation between spiritual con- 
ditions and their outward expression in symbolic 
form. Repentance is of the heart, is toward God, 
and means that the sinner who repents is the 
sinner already saved by grace through faith — 
with baptism to follow, not to complete his salva- 
tion, but to give ceremonial expression to the 
mighty changes which have taken place in the 
heart and in which one becomes a child of God. 

Regeneration, Repentance and Faith. 

These are great words and heart experiences. 
They precede baptism, and yet add to its signifi- 
cance and distinction. Though standing essen- 
tially in the order here named, regeneration, re- 
pentance and faith in Christ are coexistent, like 
the movement of spokes in a wheel, and are in- 
separable terms in the process of being saved. 
They must be considered in a group, whether as 
words or heart-exercises — not synonymous but 
synchronous, and presuppose each other. Salva- 
tion, the more comprehensive term, includes all 
of them, or may be expressed by either one taken 
alone — so that one born of God is saved, as one re- 
penting of sin is saved, or one believing in Christ 
as Saviour is saved. What these words stand for 



The Wonders of Pentecost, g5 

must not be confused with conviction for sin 
which precedes, or with obedience in baptism 
which follows, each being essential in its own 
sphere and function in the fullness of Christian 
experience and life. 

The driveways to a bridge — one approaching 
and the other leading away — would not be con- 
fused either with one another or with the bridge 
itself. The fruit of the tree is not the tree ; there 
is a difference between the fountain and its out- 
flowing stream, and a distinction between salva- 
tion and the ''things which accompany salva- 
tion." And the apostle in his earnest appeal for 
repentance and baptism was but matching the 
upheaval of the heart with the outer expression 
in simple but wonderful ceremony, and shows 
almost a startling view of the ordinance which 
the Lord had commanded, in its symbolic import 
and power. 

Pentecost brought the first fruitage of the com- 
mission, working out, under the stately move- 
ments of the day, the rounded and completed full- 
ness of its meaning — making disciples, baptizing 
and teaching. But the modern theory would cur- 
tail or set it aside, at least in part. They pray 
for a return of Pentecost, but seem to want Pen- 
tecost not as it was, but as it may be fashioned to 
suit modern views and customs. What need 
now, they say, for an external ordinance, ''a mere 
form of religion,'' when the spiritual power is so 
great, and the mighty Spirit himself is sweeping 
the heart like a tornado ? Not so, however, with 

5 



66 Evangelism and Baptism. 

the great apostle as leader in Christian conquest 
and himself in the full swing of the Spirit's 
power and guiding. For then as now and now 
as then, the inner experience needs the outer ex- 
pression ; the spiritual, even at its ripest and full- 
est, will yet call for the external in religion, and 
will give power to ''the form of godliness" — the 
standard and ideal of New Testament symbols. 

Repentance, Remission of Sin, and Then Baptism. 

The following distinction m^ay be observed, so 
far as we may venture in definition where every- 
thing is overwhelmingly great, and glorious be- 
yond human thought. Regeneration is being 
born of God, repentance is the turning of the 
heart Godward in sorrow for sin and in seeking 
forgiveness, remission of sins is God's gracious 
act in the sinner's behalf, and one of the wonders 
of redemption. This word — this amazing word, 
remission of sin — tells of something done in the 
heavenly court, as the governor's pardon issues 
from the executive office of state. It is the ex- 
ercise of God's mercy in which he "abundantly 
pardons" and is in answer to the sinner's prayer 
through faith in the atoning blood. Conspicuous 
as coming only through Christ in the shedding of 
blood, remission of sins is one of the glories of 
grace, and it becomes an experience in the sin- 
ner's heart, an experience of grace, when he re- 
ceives the glad news from heaven through God's 
Spirit bearing witness with his Spirit. 



The Wonders of Pentecost. 67 

This must be counted one of the wonders of 
Pentecost, and yet baptism, the simple Christian 
rite, has its place and relation to the heavenly 
transaction ; gives it public declaration in sym- 
bolic form, is God's own chosen form, so to speak, 
for its publication among men. Surely baptism 
came into company and environment of great 
honor on that day of wonders. Forthwith, simply 
as matter of speech, it became one of the great 
words of the New Testament and in subsequent 
Christian literature. And when we get back of 
the verbal frame work to the meaning and rela- 
tion of the words, the significance is even greater. 
It has been sometimes overdone, sometimes pain- 
fully misplaced, but is always of commanding im- 
port. 

The Hebrew system was passing away, as the 
stars fail before the rising sun. In the new order 
had come a simple rite, but charged with Chris- 
tian thought and purpose. What had been given 
as an ordinance is seen at Pentecost to be also 
a ceremony of the Christian system, having the 
authority of an ordinance and the power of cere- 
monial expression. Baptism came as illustration 
and now gave fresh emphasis to the need and 
value of ceremonial service, and as a constant 
lesson of obedience in the things commanded. 

"Baptized for the Remission of Sins." 

For in the sense not of cause but of sequence 
and indicating the declarative character of bap- 



68 Evangeimn and Baptism. 

tism and its wonderful symbolic import. If one 
were sent to prison for crime, there could be no 
confusion as to which came first, the crime or the 
punishment. So with baptism for remission — 
repentance and remission being the cause and 
baptism the sequence. Though an immersion in 
water, it does not wash away sin, and though an 
act of obedience, it does not secure the remis- 
sion of sin. It is the obedience of a saved person, 
shows in noble way his new relation to God, de- 
clares his allegiance to Christ as Saviour, and ex- 
presses his new hope in him as one raised from 
the dead. 

We come, therefore, to baptism through Christ, 
and not to Christ through baptism. Remission is 
the cause of baptism and not baptism the cause of 
remission. It is an exalted privilege, and glorious 
in its purpose, not only making public God's gra- 
cious pardon, but symbolizing its cause in the 
death and resurrection of Jesus, "who was deliv- 
ered for our ofifences, and was raised again for 
our justification." 

As a ceremonial service, the great ordinance 
marks the heroic in a man's faith, and often 
awakens songs of rejoicing. Like repentance, 
it is a paradox — tells in the one act not only of 
death and burial, but also of resurrection to a 
new life of joy and service. In repentance, often 
when tears of sorrow for sin flow down the face, 
the face itself is all radiant from a sense of God's 
forgiving grace, like the glory of the sun shining 
in the dew of the morning. ''Repentance is a 



The Wonders of Pentecost. g9 

word of ten letters and every letter a groan of 
the heart; a word of ten letters, and every letter 
a new doxology as a shout of triumphant joy." 

Miracles — Evangelizing — Baptizing. 

This was the order of that day of wonders — 
miracles, evangelizing, baptizing. And about 
three thousand souls were added to the com- 
pany of a hundred and twenty. That is the 
trophy of Pentecost, as if the commission, as yet 
but recent, had like a flower burst forth all at 
once in full bloom. The day closed, but the sun 
set on a new order of things, with baptism hav- 
ing a new renown in the new system. The vast 
multitude, every one for himself, wore the new 
badge of distinction and honor, being baptized 
in the name of Jesus Christ. ''And they continued 
stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and fellow- 
ship, and in breaking of bread, and prayers." 

The disciples were equal to the new emergency. 
They had come into a larger experience, aug- 
mented in spiritual power, increased in numbers, 
and having a wider circle of service. They 
emerged from the upper room the same, and yet 
not the same, for Pentecost, with all its wonders, 
seems not to have added any new structural ele- 
ments to what they already had in their organized 
character — only the new and larger life. The 
mission and glory of their task had of a sudden 
loomed large on the horizon. 



70 Evangelism and Baptism. 

"The breaking of bread'' (as usually under- 
stood) refers to the memorial supper of our Lord 
— the tragic companion ordinance with baptism, 
but like its companion not a creation or product 
of Pentecost. Sacred already in the memory of 
the upper room, it forthwith became operative 
in the larger sphere, and was adequate for the 
larger needs which this day of wonders had 
brought in. It must have had strange meaning 
and pathos for those who came for the first time 
to its ceremonial ministry. They would learn, 
however, its marvelous story of suffering and 
atonement in the shedding of blood — even the 
blood of the Lamb shed for many for the remis- 
sion of sins. These ordinances not new at Pente- 
cost — not an afterthought — were of the original 
plan, and now served their function as that plan 
unfolded in purpose and aim. 

In Simplicity and Working Efficiency. 

"We do not know how much of ecclesiastical 
organization existed before the day of Pentecost 
when the one hundred and twenty were still as- 
sembled. Soon a great local church was a reality 
in Jerusalem, with deacons and elders besides the 
apostles." But the record will justify the further 
word that the results of Pentecost, wonderful in 
themselves, were yet something added to some- 
thing. We must not confuse or minify what was 
there with what was added. The glory of the 
one must not obscure the glory of the other. One 



The Wonders of Pentecost. 7J 

went before, the other came after, and they 
wrought in conjunction to make Pentecost the 
exceptional day in Christian history. 

The company of one hundred and twenty was 
sufficient in organized and orderly way to hold 
meetings of prayer with one accord, to handle 
and dispose of vital problems among themselves, 
and to set things in order for the coming of the 
Holy Spirit. While his coming in suddenness 
and stately power brought in new and larger life, 
there was no disorder or confusion, and no dis- 
placing of things already centered and fixed in 
the order as it was, but all marked by simplicity 
and efficiency as in the New Testament churches 
which came later. 

There was of course development, rapid and 
powerful, with the incoming of the power from 
on high. The disciples were baptized in the Holy 
Spirit. There was the mystic transforming — if 
the word may be ventured — of the company into 
a body, the organization into an organism, with 
baptism and the supper remaining, and having 
organific power to reproduce itself in fulfillment 
of its mission. The apostle himself, typical of 
the changes which had come, was as a man made 
over and a preacher of surpassing power. The 
sermon, too, so unique in structure, substance and 
effect, was a mighty factor in the day's service, 
and a type for those who would have a ministry 
of converting and conquering power. But all 
this, inexpressibly great and glorious, was built 



72 Evangelism and Baptism, 

on what was there, had its foundation in the re- 
markable company of the upper room, its sub- 
foundation in the history which had gone before. 

Set in the Churches for Teaching. 

These ordinances then — baptism and the sup- 
per — had been factors in the Lord's Hfe, and came 
to their place in his process of building. They 
were of his thought when setting his church to 
its mission, and when after his resurrection he 
promised enduement of power from on high. They 
shared in what Pentecost meant, served each in 
its turn and function, and then remained as fix- 
tures and permanent equipment in the church — 
in what is undervalued in being called the local 
church. They are woven into its fabric and 
structure, essential if not to its life, yet certainly 
to the force and fullness of its mission — for the 
cultivation of the church in the interest of the 
kingdom. Their ministry is largely a ministry 
of teaching, while the church itself is set for ed- 
ucation in Christian truth. It may be called 
Christ's saving and educational agency, and is 
perhaps the greatest educational movement and 
organized propaganda in the world's history. 
These ordinances are large factors in its process 
of education, for efficiency in the didactic func- 
tion of the commission, and for instruction in the 
things commanded by our Lord and in things 
fundamental to his own mission and purpose in 
dying on the cross for human redemption. 



Tlie Wonders of Pentecost. 73 

They create fine atmosphere for teaching and 
have didactic power in their appeal to the heart, 
when in figure and symbol they present subjects 
which stir the soul in its richest emotions. In 
homely illustration, the ordinances may be called 
the blackboard paraphernalia of the church — 
more fittingly, glorious pictures on its walls — to 
augment its efficiency in its exalted mission of 
teaching. But speaking more in accord with their 
greatness, baptism and the supper in their teach- 
ing power, are among God's chosen means to 
make the church more fit as a plan for serving 
him, and more effective as an instrument and or- 
ganized center for the expression and furtherance 
of his kingdom among men. 

Pentecost and the Present. 

Making disciples — baptizing them — teaching 
them, ''with gladness and singleness of heart, 
praising God, and having favor with all the peo- 
ple. And the Lord added to the church daily 
such as should be saved.'' That is the connecting 
word which reaches through the intervening cen- 
turies, as our hope and joy. It shows God's gra- 
cious work and purpose in the local church, and 
himself the chief factor in its process of growth 
whether at Pentecost or now. One may plant, 
another water, but increase must come from him. 

Any adequate review of Pentecost and its won- 
ders must include the church in its organic life, 
and its ordinances in their larger and richer serv- 



74 Evangelism and Baptism. 

ice. And any study of the ordinances worth while 
and commensurate will surely bring within the 
field of our thinking the power and glory of that 
far-ofif day. The cry more or less prevalent 
against ''externalities in religion/' against ''mere 
forms and shadows/' has nothing in common with 
Pentecost, and means only harm to evangelical 
truth and to the efficiency of even spiritual forces. 
The Mississippi River, its water overflowing 
and sweeping large sections of the country with 
ruin, is power running riot without form; the 
same noble river is form without power, when 
flowing at low ebb with sandbars, shoals and 
snags appearing along its great length and en- 
dangering craft of every kind ; but with its banks 
and mighty bed filled to the full, bearing the 
nation's commerce to the sea, the great river 
shows us in noble figure "the form of godliness" 
with the power thereof. This is our basal need, 
and infinite forces await our call, if we are to 
stand and withstand in the conflict for truth and 
righteousness, to see Christ and his cause trium- 
phant. 



VI. 
RELATION OF THE ORDINANCES.* 



Baptism and the Supper — the Lord's baptism 
and the Lord's supper — appeal to us because they 
are his, both in themselves and in the order of 
their function and service. They are of his 
thought and heart. He put himself into them 
in a way to stir the deepest emotion of the soul — 
with his own hand and use he set them in his 
original plan, and wrought them into his build- 
ing process. They are embedded in the very 
heart of New Testament life and literature, and 
can scarcely be touched without touching our 
Lord at the point of his love and authority — 
tear them and you shed his blood afresh, honor 
them in remembrance of him, and you honor him 
as King and Saviour. "As oft as ye eat this 
bread and drink this cup,'' as oft also as ye bap- 
tize, ''ye do show the Lord's death till he come." 

Religious forms which God has appointed, 
whether law, ordinance, ceremony, symbol, or 
even memorial, are intended for the expression 
of spiritual life. ''The form of godliness" is for the 
outflow of godliness ; with the heart man believeth 
unto righteousness, but with the mouth, in the 
form of speech, confession is made unto salva- 
tion. This is the great base line for "law and 

* Baptist Courier, Greenville, S. C, Oct. 28, 1915. 

(75) 



76 Evangelism and Baptism. 

order'' in the kingdom of God, and throughout 
his moral government. As a principle of author- 
ity and reign, it is imperative and inevitable — as 
much so as the physical law in the physical do- 
main, and our largest usefulness and happiness 
will be found in its observance. The law of gravi- 
tation is very inconvenient when we wish to lift 
a heavy weight, is fatal if we walk out of a fifth 
story window, and yet without this very law life 
is impossible, and it may serve to make our bur- 
dens lighter, and to contribute to our uplift in 
many and noble ways. 

People sometimes chafe under the restrictions 
of law and form, forgetful that in these may flow 
the most devout spiritual life, that in these we 
may sound forth the most rapturous praises to 
Gk)d for the riches of his grace in Christ Jesus. 
For this large and fundamental reason, ''In keep- 
ing his commandments there is great reward.'' 
The Hebrew system abounded in forms of wor- 
ship and service — in the New Testament system, 
however, all is simplicity with the appeal to love 
and loyalty. But there is the same great prin- 
ciple, imperative and inevitable with the believer, 
for expressing his new spiritual life in form and 
ceremony — baptism at the beginning marking a 
new life from the dead, the supper frequently re- 
peated through the years, symbolizing dependence 
on Christ for the upbuilding and enrichment of 
that life, but each ordinance in its order and to 
serve its own high ends, to the honor and glory 
of Christ. 



The Relation of the Ordinances. 77 

In noble and exalted sense, therefore, baptism 
and the supper may be called the law and order 
of the gospel of grace, and are aglow with the 
Saviour's love in every ffesh observance. They 
are of great rank as ordinance, ceremony, symbol 
and memorial in Christian service. They could 
not be more commanding in character, more pow- 
erful and instructive in teaching, more tender 
and winsome in their appeal to our allegiance, 
loyalty and love. ''If ye love me'^ — that is where 
all else centers and is settled — 'Tf ye love me, 
keep my commandments.'' 'Tf a man love me he 
will keep my words." Obedience is the deepest 
and most powerful impulse of love. ''The love 
of Christ constraineth," whether to the stake in 
heroic testimony of self-surrender, or to his serv- 
ice in the furtherance of the gospel, or to keeping 
his ordinances unspotted and without blemish in 
their integrity and order. 

On the day of Pentecost and the days immedi- 
ately following, these two ordinances — emblems 
of grace and testimonials of love — are seen in 
operation and in their relative order and signifi- 
cance for the first time, each in its own cere- 
monial purpose, sphere and service. When the 
spiritual tide was at its height, baptism, the cere- 
mony of intiation, takes its place with command- 
ing ease, and they that gladly received the word 
were baptized, about three thousand souls. Then 
followed the Lord's Supper — an ordinance with 
the heart-beat of love, the memorial of his blood 
shed for many for the remission of sins, and in 



78 Evangelism and Baptism. 

remembrance of him as the bread of Hfe, which 
would sustain their spiritual life through the suc- 
ceeding years. ''And they continued stedfastly 
in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in 
the breaking of bread, and in prayers/' Dis- 
jointed and misfit these ceremonies would mar 
the beauty of the system, but in their place and 
serving each in its function, they tell their sym- 
bolic story with charm and power. 

No contention or question arose at Pentecost 
as to their priority, of either their order or im- 
portance. The old system was passing out, as a 
vesture folded up and laid aside, the new was 
coming in with new meaning and power. Tre- 
mendous energies were moving, but orderly and 
without confusion. There was already a fixed 
relation for baptism and the supper, inherent in 
their meaning; and following their history and 
appointment, they came in their natural course, 
evangelizing — the word gladly received ; baptized, 
union with the disciples in doctrine and fellow- 
ship ; breaking of bread and prayers ; this was the 
relation of the ordinances, both between them- 
selves, and with other phases of the new life and 
method which had come in. 

The experience of grace at the floodtide of rich, 
spiritual life, found ample channel for its out- 
flow, prepared in advance for the new day. And 
the disciples ''continued daily with one accord in 
the temple . . . with gladness and singleness 
of heart; praising God and having favor with all 
the. people. And the Lord added to the church 



The Relation of the Ordinances. 79 

daily such as should be saved." There were effi- 
ciency and conquest in the new order. The Holy 
Spirit was at work in evangelizing and saving. 
The new form and ceremony in their fitness and 
significance, in their beauty and simplicity, were 
adequate for the symbolic import of the new life 
and the expression of the new power and joy. 
And in their observance the people bore testimony 
to their new alignment and allegiance to their 
new King. 

Though baptism and the supper had come 
through antecedent history of distinction, yet this 
was their first working together in the new order, 
and put tremendous emphasis on their ceremonial 
value in church service and doctrinal efficiency. 
With such introduction, under circumstances so 
auspicious and commanding, one would expect 
that they would never be thought of in succeeding 
years except in the greatness and richness of 
their meaning. In a sense, and without dispar- 
agement of other things, they were the crowning 
glory of Pentecost, and everywhere the signal of 
triumph for the cross and the risen Christ. And 
yet it comes to pass that modern Christianity in 
some of its following count them less. It is a 
strain and stain upon our church life that, not- 
withstanding their wonderful record, their place 
of genuine power and pathos in the heart and 
history of our Lord, these ordinances are some- 
times treated with indifference by his followers, 
and sometimes disarranged and displaced in their 



80 Evangelism and Baptism. 

Sphere and order of service, as if we had for- 
gotten Pentecost and the glory of its achieve- 
ments. 

The ''Communion controversy/' its protest 
against "close'' and its clamor for ''open" com- 
munion, means no good for these ordinances. It 
is clearly a factitious issue; has done untold 
harm in lowering New Testament standards and 
ideals, in breaking away from New Testament 
simplicity and order. It walks not in the way of 
Pentecost and of those early years. Its source is 
not in argument on principles but in personal 
preferences. It is led and governed by a senti- 
ment which often chafes under form and order; 
is often more regardful of local conditions and 
social relations than for the law and love which 
reign in the kingdom of Christ and which mani- 
fest themselves in keeping his commandments. 

A pastor was once besought by one of his mem- 
bers to invite her lady friend of another denomi- 
nation to join with them in the approaching com- 
munion service of their church. He explained 
that it could not be done, except in violation of 
New Testament principles and practice. But she 
insisted that her friend was so exceptional in 
Christian character and walk he should make 
an exception in her case. "Oh, I see," said the 
pastor, "your friend has become so good and 
pious that she does not need to keep her Mas- 
ter's commandments, or observe his ordinances 
to do them as he said !" That is largely the issue ; 
it sets up a new standard, and rivals the order 



The Relation of the Ordinances. g^ 

and methods of Pentecost in which the first vic- 
tories of the cross were won. 

Much of the confusion and disregard for the 
ordinances in their proper relation come from 
inadequate views of baptism and a failure to 
recognize its larger and richer meaning. Even 
some who believe in immersion as the form of 
baptism seem to count the immersion all there 
is of it, and see nothing beyond of its signifi- 
cance and commanding import. One writer, in- 
deed, only recently expressed wilHngness to give 
up baptism for the sake of ''Christian union." 
But how can we give up this ordinance, except 
we also give up the New Testament? We will 
need to tear baptism from the very heart of the 
commission, to remove it from this commanding 
word of the risen Lord, for it is imbedded mid- 
way between his ''all authority" and his "Lo, I 
am with you." And besides all this, should we 
do away with baptism and decide to have no more 
of it, still if the New Testament be left, sooner 
or later some heroic, loyal soul would arise and 
demand baptism in obedience to Christ's word. 
But why trifle and tamper with what is com- 
manded? "To obey is better than sacrifice," and 
obedience, the living out of God's law among 
men, is the supreme service. 

Among professing Christians three phases of 
spirit and conduct may be found as attitudes to- 
ward the ordinances of the Lord's house. They 
test the character and mark where one stands 
concerning the kingdom of God. "It is largely a 

6 



82 Evangelism and Baptism. 

matter of sentiment/' but which sentiment? 
There is first the spirit of indifference. It counts 
both ordinances of no real value, and of little 
consequence for any purpose. It counts them 
''mere forms and rites'' which can be done away 
at will, and makes no response or recognition of 
their appeal to either the conscience or heart. 
It is a deadly sentiment, if indeed it can be called 
a sentiment, this spirit of indifference, deadly to 
the finer traits of Christian character, and con- 
tributes largely to the letting down and general 
looseness now more or less prevalent in Chris- 
tian belief and practice. It is first hurtful within, 
and then sends its evil influence abroad to work 
its mischief with others. 

Then there is the spirit of self-guidance^ which 
does not regard ''form and order as essential" in 
the things commanded. It attempts to do things 
without doing them, displaces or abridges obedi- 
ence with a supposed higher "spiritual life and 
broader Christian fellowship," is little concerned 
to walk in the ways of the Lord, and thinks form 
and ceremony narrow and restrictive of "the 
freer and more fraternal spirit." It '^throws 
logic to the wind and follows the lead of love." 
Even the best men and women, perhaps these 
more than others, caught in this swirl of "good 
sentiment," will need constant care lest it degen- 
erate into maudlin sentimentalism. It will mar 
the beauty and integrity of Christian character, 
and undermine its compactness and strength. 
This is one of the saddest and most common evils 



The Relation of the Ordinances. 83 

of the day. It will brook no objection, will hear 
no argument, but rushes on in its own chosen 
way for the "broader things/' and is a law unto 
itself. It cannot be other than evil, and evil 
continually, and is largely responsible for break- 
ing away from New Testament ideals and stand- 
ards. 

There is finally the spirit of obedience concern- 
ing the way of God and in what he wants done. 
This is the most exalted attitude possible in 
human hearts and lives, is the spirit indeed of 
those who wait and serve in the heavenly courts. 
It is the most pressing need of the day, pressing 
need all the while ; and there are those who strive 
for its high standard, who make God's ways 
their ways, his Word the man of their counsel 
and the lamp to their feet. It does not discrimi- 
nate or choose between things where God has 
spoken. As one succeeds here he succeeds 
throughout the whole course of Christian minis- 
tries, his failure here will undermine and mar all 
else. This also is sentiment; but sentiment, how- 
ever fervent and joyous, will not suffice except 
when made strong in sound principles, in right 
policy of conduct, and in heroic purpose of loy- 
alty in doing the things commanded. 

This gives emphasis to what was said at the 
first of this article, concerning God's law, ordi- 
nances, ceremonies, symbols and memorials in 
their form and order. In these the obedient spirit 
has its expression in service, in royal conduct, 
and oftentimes with rapturous joy. There is a 



84 Evangelism and Baptism, 

fellowship of believers in baptism, the fellowship 
of obedience and service to their King, a fellow- 
ship which precedes and should regulate fellow- 
ship in the communion service. In these ordi- 
nances, as memorials of his grace, Christ is hon- 
ored in their larger meaning, and as they are kept 
in the form and order as they came from him. 
They are the heroic, triumphant signals of his 
victory, and stand for his achievement in human 
redemption. Even now, in every observance of 
their simple but beautiful ceremonial service, he 
is crowned King of kings and Lord of lords, — a 
momentous occasion it becomes with individual 
life and with the church assembled in holy serv- 
ice. 



VII. 

"TWO MEMORIALS WITH ONE MEAN- 
ING."* 



Baptism and the Lord's Supper as the two 
great ordinances of the New Testament hold 
their place in the gospel system as symbols and 
ceremonies. As ordinances they were com- 
manded, and appeal to our spirit of obedience; 
as symbols they appeal to our belief and stand 
for mighty events, partly historic and partly yet 
to be, being memorial and monumental, prophetic 
and didactic ; as ceremonies they are outward ex- 
pressions of the experience of grace which one 
has in Christ Jesus, telling of death to sin and 
new life in him, of union with Christ and union 
also of all who believe on him for the saving of 
their souls. 

In the cities throughout the South there are 
many monuments of the tragic war between the 
States — many memorials but all with one mean- 
ing. These monuments differ in material, in their 
form and pattern, in their inscriptions, in repre- 
senting the different phases of that heroic strife, 
but they have one meaning in their testimony for 
honor of the soldier who fought by land and by 
sea, and especially in commemorating that four 

♦ Christian Index, Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 19, 1915. 

(85) 



86 Evangelism and Baptism. 

years' struggle as a mighty upheaval in our na- 
tion's life and the bloody war in the history of 
men. That stand for honor's sake, and home de- 
fense will never be forgotten — especially cannot 
be denied as history — so long as these monuments 
shall endure. They stand as evidence — silent wit- 
nesses like the stars but with no uncertain voice 
— with evidential power and value to the student 
of history. 

In ''Christian Union Relative to Baptist 
Churches/' a book recently published, I make the 
following statement in behalf of these great ordi- 
nances (page 8) : 

''Baptism was not at the first either the cause 
or occasion of division, but Christendom will not 
be reunited until this great ordinance, so full of 
wonderful and didactic meaning, has its rightful 
adjustment and is accorded New Testament posi- 
tion in modern Christianity. There is need for 
fresh study of the ordinances in their relation to 
Christian history, doctrine, experience and life, 
as set forth in the New Testament. And this 
more than we dream, perhaps, may bring a re- 
turn to primitive Christianity and so prove the 
highway to Christian union. It is a wonderful 
story these ordinances tell — Baptism and the Me- 
morial Supper, if only they be allowed to speak 
their words untrammeled and unembarrassed. 
There is scarcely a fundamental doctrine in the 
whole Christian system that does not get didactic 
emphasis with illumination and power in one or 
both of these ordinances." 



Two Memorials With One Meaning, 87 

A study of their doctrinal content with the New 
Testament as guide will confirm what has been 
written above, and will also show that these sacred 
and beautiful ordinances supplement each other 
in their symbolic import. They have the same 
memorial significance, yet each one emphasizing 
in its own way the two phases of the one event. 
We may think of them as the two sides of one 
sphere, which when placed together give us the 
completeness of thought and of figurative expres- 
sion. 

Taken together they bear testimony concerning 
Christ for his death, burial, resurrection and risen 
life. Baptism taken by itself speaks in marvelous 
way of his burial and resurrection, but says noth- 
ing except by inference of either his death or 
risen life ; these are taken for granted, as death 
precedes burial, and resurrection would mean a 
consequent new life from the dead. This is 
strikingly illustrated by what Dr. Sanday of the 
Church of England has to say when commenting 
on the expression in Romans of being buried with 
Christ in baptism : Immersion equals death ; sub- 
mersion equals burial or the ratification of death ; 
emergence equals resurrection. 

On the other hand, the Memorial Supper says 
nothing except by inference of the burial and 
resurrection, but tells of his death by startling 
and painful figure, and gives great emphasis to 
his being alive again as risen from the dead. 
When taken together the two ordinances tell the 
whole story. Baptism stands for the new tomb, 



88 Evangelism and Baptism, 

first as holding the body of our Lord and then 
as being empty, while the Supper stands first for 
his death on the cross and then for his new life 
as he showed himself to his disciples by many 
infallible proofs, and that he shall come again in 
power and glory to raise from the dead those 
who are in their graves — memorials of the past 
and symbolic forecast for the future. 

We need to emphasize more than we have done 
the oneness of meaning in these two ordinances, 
just as the many Confederate monuments 
throughout the South show the several phases of 
the great struggle, but all combine in one meaning 
of historic and didactic significance. As symbols 
these ordinances are unchangeable in form and 
meaning, and as witnesses they must tell the same 
thing through succeeding generations and cen- 
turies. Their meaning is the same now as at the 
first. They are two symbols with two voices but 
with one story and one significance. They can- 
not be hushed. They cannot be made to equivo- 
cate. 

While they last and bear their witness the 
world cannot forget Calvary or the empty tomb 
in the garden, or the resurrection scenes which 
followed that first morning, culminating with the 
gathering on the mountain and his ascension to 
glory with the promise that he should come again. 
In celebrating these great events by these memo- 
rials we are celebrating our faith in the past and 
our faith also in the future. As they give assur- 
ances of the past they also give a guarantee for 



Two Memorials With One Meaning. gg 

the future that our hope shall not fail. In my 
book, 'The Memorial Supper of Our Lord'' 
(page 222), I have illustrated and emphasized 
these mighty things in the following language : 

''One of the most brilliant of the hostile critics, 
who has gone furthest and deepest in the dark- 
ness of unbelief, has left his creed of unbelief 
as follows : 'The time will come when no heart 
shall remember that the Saviour suffered and died 
for the world. The last believer shall go down 
in darkness to his grave, and from that hour shall 
Golgotha vanish away from the earth, like the 
place where the garden of Eden lay.' Shall the 
words of this prophet come true? Shall Calvary 
be no more ? Shall the fountain of blood cease to 
flow% or lose its blessed, satisfying power? Shall 
the Saviour and the Saviour's sufferings and 
death and glorious deliverance cease forever, even 
in the memory of men? Over against the dark 
prophecy of the hostile prophet and in answer to 
these foreboding questions, which come to the 
very heart of the world in its deepest needs, we 
will spread the Lord's Table next Sunday or the 
Sunday following, and on 'till he come.' There 
the white line, and underneath the simple bread 
and wine ; there the eating and the drinking ; and 
there again, as through many centuries agone, the 
blessed words are heard ever new and fresh, *Do 
this in remembrance of me.' " 

Having this oneness of meaning in their rela- 
tion to Christian history, these great ordinances 
supplement each other also in their relation to 



90 Evangelism and Baptism. 

Christian doctrine, Christian experience, Chris- 
tian Hfe and activity. They are of the same didac- 
tic import and emphasis. Neither of them are 
essential to salvation and in no way administer 
to salvation, but are both for people already 
saved. Neither of them can give remission of 
sin or take away jointly the sins of the heart or 
the sins of life, but together they symbolize the 
atonement of Christ wherein we have remission, 
and have no meaning for those whose sins are 
not already forgiven. Neither of them can make 
the heart clean or new, yet both of them, whether 
separately or together, demand a new heart and 
a new^ life, proclaim one dead to sin and alive 
unto God, symbolize his union with Christ, as 
being crucified with him, yet nevertheless risen 
with him and now live in him. 

In their oneness of meaning, therefore, they 
have high place in Christian apologetics as evi- 
dence for historic Christianity. As symbols and 
ceremonies they are powerful expressions of 
Christianity in its organic character. As cere- 
monial service and worship they minister to the 
spiritual life of those who walk in the ways of the 
Lord. In keeping his commandments there is 
great reward, not only in what comes to us, but 
in what we come to be in his worship and service. 



VIII. 

THE LORD'S SUPPER IN REVIVAL 
MEETINGS.* 



''They continued stedfastly in the apostles' doc- 
trine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, 
and in prayers." — Acts 2 : 42. 

"As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this 
cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." 
— I Cor. II : 26. 

''And the Lord added to the church daily such 
as should be saved." — Acts 2 : 47. 

The subject of this article is worthy at least 
of consideration, whether one wishes to follow it 
or not — The Lord's Supper in Revival Meetings 
as an evangelistic power. There is no reason for 
calling it Supper, except perhaps it holds in mem- 
ory the sacred and almost tragic hour of its in- 
stitution, — in the upper room at night forshad- 
owing a darker day to follow. The name, how- 
ever, has such a hold in Christian use and cus- 
tom, that it can hardly be eliminated if we so de- 
sired, and fortunately, unlike some other names, 
it has no adverse significance. 

The scriptures set as an undergirding for the 
subject, at least in an illustrative way, are col- 

* Western Recorder, Louisville, Ky., Dec. 2, 1015. 

(91) 



92 Evangelism and Baptism. 

lated here for concentration of sentiment and 
purpose. In a remarkable, almost startling way, 
this tragic ordinance came into immediate use, 
following the first baptismal triumph at Pente- 
cost. It was not a product of that mighty occa- 
sion, but was ready at hand to serve with fitness 
and charm of pathos, in its appointed place and 
function. It shows in a striking way how thor- 
oughly Christ had planned everything in advance 
when building his church and laying out its task 
and mission. It shows also how the two great 
ordinances, set side by side as companions in the 
gospel system, supplement each other, work out 
in wonderful fashion their respective purpose, 
and each essential in its sphere and function. We 
can readily see how the Lord's Supper, brought 
into the services following Pentecost, greatly in- 
creased the evangelistic power and efficiency, — 
made its contribution to the enrichment of the 
young church and augmented its spiritual power. 
Its message now as then is a message of the cross 
and its saving power. 

The great statement from Paul's letter to the 
church at Corinth shows the preaching power of 
the ordinance and is set right in the heart of the 
evangelistic movement which continued from 
Pentecost and added daily to the church such as 
God was saving; and though written many years 
afterwards, the words are not out of place in 
those stirring days of gospel power, but rather 
give additional light and fervor. ''As often as 
ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show 



Lord's Slipper in Revival Meetings, 93 

the Lord's death till he come/' — a fitting mes- 
sage then, a fitting message now, put into the 
very middle of revival meetings, a message at 
once of the cross and of coming triumph. It 
bespeaks its meaning now as then, in any other 
similar place and condition of church life, doc- 
trinal fellowship, and of evangelistic service, 
where God is present in power to save and give 
increase to the planting and watering, in preach- 
ing the gospel of his grace. 

In all this, but with some misgiving, I am ven- 
turing a heart-to-heart talk with my brethren 
about the use of this ceremonial service in evan- 
gelistic meetings and also the manner of its ob- 
servance in the regular or stated seasons in their 
churches. The Lord's Supper had a deep hold 
on my heart from my boyhood, came early with 
me to a commanding place as the distinct memo- 
rial of our Lord's death and a mighty promise 
of his return. I grew up, thinking of it in this 
way, with never a thought of its having some 
sort of mysterious magic or sacramental grace. 

In the country church where I was brought 
up, it was observed with decorum and marked 
impressiveness^ — the Cave Run Baptist church, 
near Lexington Ky., where my father was pas- 
tor for a full decade, and after an absence of 
ten years with other churches returned and 
served until his death, and where as a youth of 
thirteen years I made profession of religion, 
united with the church and was baptized in a 
near-by pool. It was all so stately, so dignified, 



94 Evamjelisin and Baptism. 

and yet so full of heart power — this keeping of 
the Lord's Supper in a country church as the 
regular season came round. And — may I tell 
it, — my father never appeared quite so lofty, 
really great, to my boyish pride and imagination, 
as when he stood at "The Lord's Table'' and 
ministered in the ordinance of the sanctuary. He 
and my mother, as remembered from my boy- 
hood, like Zacharias and Elizabeth, 'Svere both 
righteous before God, walking in all the com- 
mandments and ordinances of the Lord." 

Then, too, there was another factor which in- 
fluenced my early thinking in the same general 
way. Near our country home there were great 
families and some of them noted men — Presbyte- 
rians of the best stamp, who greatly emphasized 
preparing for their quarterly communion season, 
also in a country church. Their talk in the social 
circle and at the family fireside of the coming 
service impressed my boyish heart with the great- 
ness and sacredness of the holy ordinance. Those 
scenes are far away now in the receding years, 
but their memory lingers and even now brings a 
fresh sense of what the ordinance was to mie then. 
I know now that my views of the memorial serv- 
ice were not too high in those early years, and 
in the main correct. And they have now come 
into intelligent conviction and govern my think- 
ing concerning the great service. I shall never 
forget the feeling when I came the first time 
as pastor to minister in this ceremony, and that 
feeling has never left me, but comes back now 



Lord's Supper in Revival Meetings. 95 

in large measure, when I worship with my breth- 
ren and receive the elements at the hands of an- 
other. It is a distinct remembrance with me of 
my Lord, both of his death and his promise to 
return. 

This all may be too personal for public print, 
but it can hardly be exceptional, and will awaken 
a chord with many others. It is a great loss — 
how great, no one can tell — if pastors do not keep 
themselves and their people alive to the senti- 
ment and meaning of this great ordinance as it 
comes around in the regular season — whether 
monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly. As this article 
contemplates special communion services, I would 
emphasize the stated seasons. These are not to 
be interfered with, should be counted of vital im- 
portance in church life, and nurtured as with the 
dew of heaven. It might be well — if I can ven- 
ture the suggestion — to abridge the sermon ; per- 
haps leave it off altogether, but surely by all 
means have it to fit and prepare for the memorial 
service. Even a good sermon may be the un- 
doing of the occasion, — so also some slight or 
trivial affair. 

The pastor is the man who sets the key in this 
high celebration. It is with him to see that repe- 
tition at regular intervals does not let the service 
dow^n to the common place either with himself 
or his people — and happy the pastor who can hold 
the sacred service in thought and heart as it de- 
serves and can make it minister to the spiritual 
refreshment and enrichment of his people. It 



96 Evangelism and Baptism, 

calls for the best that is in its to hold this me- 
morial in meaning and manner of observance, 
as it was set by our Lord himself when commit- 
ting it to us with the appealing words : ''Do this 
in remembrance of me." ''Like priest like peo- 
ple/' here as in many other things, and the pas- 
tor will need to keep his own standard high in 
his thought and method of conducting the serv- 
ice. 

But in addition to these stated services there 
may also be special observance of the ordinances 
in our revival meetings as occasion may offer or 
justify — but always with the greatest care and 
in the richness of its sentiment. In such service 
we will not get away from the New Testament 
standard and ideal, that the Lord's Supper, 
though great and commanding in its nature and 
purpose, is yet a local church service. Among 
Baptists no other body, however large and im- 
portant, would think of undertaking its observ- 
ance. In this the local church stands alone, hav- 
ing the privilege and obligation within itself, as 
in the New Testament period with the church at 
Jerusalem and the church of God at Corinth. A 
great and sacred trust this is, and must be kept 
in its integrity and purity of purpose and spirit, 
for its larger ministry and vital usefulness will 
depend largely on the method of its observance. 
This puts great honor and responsibility upon the 
local church, magnifying its character and serv- 
ice, and setting the ordinance to its high and holy 
ministry. 



Loi'd's Supper in Revival Meetings, 97 

Dr. John E. White, now of Anderson, S. C, 
tells of a special communion service which he 
held in the Second Baptist church, Atlanta, dur- 
ing his pastorate. A great evangelistic meeting 
was in progress, with the tide of interest running 
high. As they came to the close of the week the 
question was raised about Saturday night — should 
they hold services or close up for that night as is 
usually done? In the quandary, the suggestion 
v/as made and adopted that on Saturday night 
the church would meet in a special communion 
service. The experiment proved a delightful ex- 
perience, and the pastor counted it one of the 
finest meetings of the whole series, both for the 
evangelistic service and in its practical effects on 
the church itself. This illustrates what I am ven- 
turing to set forth in this writing, and seems to 
indicate, from my viewpoint, the promise of mak- 
ing the Supper an immense evangelistic power in 
a w^ay altogether out of the ordinary. 

What would be the effect, for example, if the 
Evangelistic Force of the Home Board, when 
holding simultaneous m^eetings in the several Bap- 
tist churches of some city, should request all of 
the: Baptist churches to hold,' each a special com- 
munion service on Saturday night instead of clos- 
ing their doors, as is the usual custom? Or, as 
for that matter, in a concerted movement, with 
the pastor in charge and at his best, for any other 
time during the week ? It would surely be some- 
thing new and out of the ordinary in modern 
evangelism, though not unknown in apostolic 



98 Evangelism and Baptism, 

days. It would give tremendous emphasis to the 
church membership, would start an electric cur- 
rent of self-examination, would awaken a revi- 
val of church vows, and mark a line of separation 
between the unsaved and those professing salva- 
tion. 

But much more than all that. It would bring 
into the evangelistic meeting with the emphasis 
of symbolic power, the very heart of the evan- 
gelistic message, namely, the atonement for sin 
through Christ's death on the cross — would set 
up afresh in the midst of the people the cross 
with its tragedy in which the Prince of Glory died 
for our sin. 'This is my body — this is my blood 
shed for many for the remission of sins.'' These 
are the wonderful symbolic words of the memo- 
rial and show with great emphasis the only hope 
of salvation. "Ye do show the Lord's death till 
he come" — this is its message and teaching power 
in figure and symbol, in speaking, as baptism also 
speaks, the historic word, the evangelistic word, 
the didactic word and the prophetic word. 

These two ordinances of the gospel system are 
largely of one meaning, similar in character and 
purpose, but supplemental in their teaching 
power. Their value and efficiency as teaching 
ordinances have hardly been fully recognized, and 
certainly not used so much as was their original 
intention for speeding the good news of salvation. 
Together they give their one lesson in symbolic 
import concerning the believer's experience of 
grace,— how he died to sin, was raised up again 



Lord's Supper in Revival Meetings. 99 

in Christ Jesus, and now has his union with 
Christ and Hves his risen Hfe in him — washed in 
the blood of the Lamb. In this lies, at least in 
part, the might of their appeal and may be seen 
their subjective value in ever awakening afresh 
the glad song of redeeming grace. 

Together also baptism and the Supper, in their 
supplemental teaching, present to the eye, and 
through the eye to the heart, the resurrection of 
Jesus. Baptism tells of the burial and resurrec- 
tion, w^hile the Supper tells of the death which 
went before and the resurrection life which came 
after. Baptism in figure and symbol tells of the 
new tomb, the great stone with Roman seal and 
Roman guard, and then with sudden turn tells in 
exultant triumph of the stone rolled away and 
the tomb left empty; while the Supper on the 
other hand tells in tragic way of the antecedent 
death which brought him to burial, and then has 
its message so clear and strong, of his victory in 
all that wonderful risen life with the empty sep- 
ulchre left behind, his ascension to glory and 
the promise of his return. 'This is my body and 
my blood shed,'' is one voice heard in the Sup- 
per, but there is another equally strong and out- 
spoken in every observance, "I am he that liveth, 
and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever 
more. Amen. And have the keys of hell and 
death/' 

It is this wonderful meaning in symbol, that 
gives baptism and the Supper this evangelistic 
power, and entitles them to a place in our evan- 



100 Evangelism and Baptism, 

gelistic services. The gospel in symbol is some- 
times more powerful than the gospel in word. 
Symbols give no uncertain sound, never change 
in their form and meaning, and make their ap- 
peal to the eye; but the eye makes haste to tell 
the wonderful things which it has seen, and the 
story of the eye will often sweep the heart like 
the song of the angels. From this standpoint, the 
subject of this article is brought forward and 
offered to the brethren for such consideration as 
they may deem worthy. Christ appointed the 
ordinances, set them in their place and order, in 
part at least for their teaching power. It rests 
with us surely to give them their full sweep and 
swing in the evangelistic meeting, as elsewhere, 
for the fulfillment of their function and mission. 
For the past they are monumental and commem- 
orative; for the present obligatory and didactic; 
for the future prophetic, and bear mighty testi- 
mony of mighty things to come — the very things 
most needed and with greatest emphasis in our 
evangelistic meetings. 



IX. 

MAGNIFYING THE LOCAL CHURCH.* 



"Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh 
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my 
Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto 
thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I 
will build my church; and the gates of hell shall 
not prevail against it.'' — Matt. i6: 17, 18. 

'Then they that gladly received his word were 
baptized : and the same day there were added unto 
them about three thousand souls. And they con- 
tinued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fel- 
lowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers 
— praising God and having favor with all the peo- 
ple. And the Lord added to the church daily such 
as should be saved." — ^Acts 2 : 41, 42, 47. 

The dotted line separating these scriptures 
connect two of the most significant events in New 
Testament history — the transfiguration scene in 
the life of our Lord with Pentecost and the days 
immediately following. It connects Peter's great 
confession with his great sermon in that day of 
signal wonders. In point of time it represents 
perhaps some eight or ten months — a short period, 
indeed, but full of startling events, marvelous and 
momentous in the history of human redemption. 

* The Baptist World, Louisville, Ky., Dec. 16, 1915. 

(101) 



102 Evangelism and Baptism. 

In that intervening period Christ had finished 
his walk among men, had instituted his perpetual 
memorial in the upper room at Jerusalem, had 
witnessed the betrayal of Judas, the fall and res- 
toration of Peter, had been tried and condemned 
to be crucified, had died on the cross with many 
signals of the extraordinary, had been buried and 
after three days was raised from the dead by the 
power and glory of the Father, had spent forty 
days coming and going among the disciples with 
many infallible proofs and giving commandments 
through the Holy Spirit, had ascended into 
heaven and was at the right hand of God, had 
sent forth the Holy Spirit according to promise 
for the enduement of the disciples with power 
from on high, had witnessed the first preaching 
of the cross with the first manifestation of his 
resurrection power, and had seen his church come 
to its flower and fruitage in the first conquest of 
the gospel of his grace. There is nothing in all 
history comparable to this series of events in scope 
and power, in lofty dignity and triumphant sw^eep, 
in the glory of achievements and the richness and 
fullness of blessing, for saving the world and 
bringing in God's kingdom among men. 

The words and events of Pentecost are not 
meant here to interpret what our Lord said to 
Peter concerning his church which he was then 
building — certainly not in the full. They are, 
however, wonderfully illustrative and taken to- 
gether they are full of significance in magnifying 
the local church and in setting out the sources 



Magnifying the Local Church. 103 

of its power and the fullness of its mission. There 
is no thought here of raising the question of an 
invisible or universal church. Our people are 
not at one concerning that question and can af- 
ford to hold it in abeyance for the present pur- 
pose, while emphasis is given to the local church 
concerning which there is practical agreement. 

At any rate, so far as this article is concerned, 
it has to do only with the local church as worthy 
of special consideration and in these times need- 
ing special emphasis. Its New Testament counter- 
part is found in the church at Jerusalem, in the 
church at Antioch, in the church of God at Cor- 
inth, and in other churches as they were multi- 
plied in other cities, as the churches of Galatia 
and the churches of Asia, each in its individual 
capacity, life, character and responsibility. It is 
unfortunate that modern conditions and customs 
make it necessary to use the word local. The 
very word is an infringement upon the character, 
dignity and mission of the church — will uncon- 
sciously depreciate it in the public mind even 
when that is not intended by its use. The church 
of Christ was first one — as at Jerusalem — then 
more than one, then many, then increasing more 
and more as they multiplied in number and were 
augmented in power and efficiency. 

In all this each church, even when described 
in the most wonderful way, preserved its own in- 
dividuality in place and name, in character and 
mission. They were similar in fundamentals with 
many things in common, but each one separate 



104 Evangelism and Baptism. 

and distinct in itself. The church at Ephesus, 
for example, was ''the church of God which he 
purchased with his own blood/' whose leaders 
were chosen of the Holy Spirit — ''the church of 
the living God, the pillar and ground of the 
truth/' Following this basal idea, and starting at 
Jerusalem and Pentecost, the New Testament 
deals with the individual church, and everywhere 
gives emphasis to its character, history and work. 
Its reproofs and commendations alike are for in- 
dividual churches — for individual churches even 
when they are grouped as with the seven churches 
of Asia. It was the one church at Corinth, typical 
of others, which was the temple of God, the place 
of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit when he came 
in fulfillment of the promise, that he should dwell 
in them and be with them. This, as one of its 
phases, is the glory of the local church, the very 
essence of its life and power. 

There is much today tending to depreciate the 
local church that is not in keeping with this high 
standard and ideal of the New Testament. A 
loose and indefinite use of both words, kingdom 
and church, is an example of this. Some organi- 
zation voted recently that "the church should 
maintain a lobby at Washington'' as an offset to 
intermeddling by Roman Catholics in state af- 
fairs. A visiting preacher at Vanderbilt Univer- 
sity was quite free in the charge that "the modern 
church has lost its religion." Much maudlin 
talk of this kind is now going on from what is 
counted authoritative sources, and the outside 



Magnifying the Local Church. 105 

world takes it up, not knowing what it means — 
and surely there can be no blame for not under- 
standing what is meant — and charges the church 
with this or that, or clamors that the church 
should do such and such things. This use of 
the word church is all very hollow, without any 
meaning, and unlike anything in New Testa- 
ment life and literature. Meanwhile, however, 
the mischief is being wrought, and the local 
church is set in the background, and its character 
and mission misunderstood and undervalued. 

It is almost, if not quite, as bad from a vague 
use of the word kingdom that has become com- 
mon in nearly all circles. This word — kingdom 
— is one of the great words of the language, and 
kingdom of God is possibly our greatest concep- 
tion. And yet it is greatly marred by the use 
here referred to, while at the same time the local 
church itself is also set in depreciation by what 
seems some sort of adverse comparison. The 
word is high-sounding and catches the ear, but 
means nothing to the ordinary hearer. One suf- 
fers in his thinking in the misuse or loose use 
of really great v/ords. It tends to impoverish- 
ment of thought, and both kingdom and local 
church have been let down in our thinking in this 
way — not perhaps always with the speaker but 
certainly with those who hear but do not under- 
stand what is meant. Kingdom, even the king- 
dom of God, and the local church have no points 
of rivalry, but much significance of meaning in 
their relation to each other. They are never con- 



X06 Evangelism and Baptism. 

fused in the New Testament, but all the con- 
fusion grows out of our modern conditions and 
use of these words. Each has its separate mean- 
ing, its high function and commanding relation 
one to the other — both being of God, and set for 
his honor and for efficiency in the economy of his 
grace. 

Without comparison or even reference to the 
kingdom, the purpose here is to magnify the local 
church as the most potential single factor for an 
efficient Christianity. Having been built by our 
Lord himself, and having its equipment and en- 
dowment for self-propagating power, it stands 
among the fundamental facts in the Christian 
system. This thought is prominent and large 
throughout all the pages of New Testament his- 
tory, and shows the local church almost startling 
in its might and power. It brings forth after its 
kind as the vine in the vineyard or the gigantic 
oak in the forest. Those who make the best local 
church or churches, therefore, will make the best 
expression of the actual working of the kingdom 
of God, and do most for its efficient extension 
among men. Every great Christian enterprise in 
blessing the world at large and bringing in the 
kingdom of God with power, most likely had its 
root back in a local church or churches, and is 
nourished there in its life and enrichment. 

The cause of Christ, indeed, in all its many, 
many phases, prospers as these local churches 
prosper and maintain their New Testament char- 
acter and mission. Every diversion will tend 



Magnifying the Local Church. J^QT 

certainly to marring and weakness, and perhaps 
to its undoing. It has in custody the truth as it 
is in Christ Jesus, is entrusted with the keeping 
of the great ordinances in their integrity and 
purity, is charged with preaching the gospel of 
the kingdom among the nations of the earth, and 
is composed of men and women professing salva- 
tion through personal faith in the Lord Jesus, 
These and other things to match them, and all of 
lofty character, make these local churches unique 
in themselves, without parallel and incomparable 
among human organizations, while their members 
in life and service sit together in heavenly places. 
Surely they must be the mightiest forces and cen- 
ters of power working among men for the honor 
and glory of him from whom they camic. To hold 
membership within these churches is of high 
worth, of commanding responsibility, and our op- 
portunity for serving God after his plan and pur- 
pose. 

Someone has said that Christ talked much 
about the kingdom, but gave no concern about 
the church — meaning the local church. Surely 
this last cannot be true, for the local church is 
the only one he has on earth, and is of his own 
creation as an agency and method for working 
out his purpose on the mighty scale which he himx- 
self devised. His wdiole Hfe work — living, teach- 
ing, dying, being raised from the dead and the 
wondrous things which followed — came to glori- 
ous consummation in the local church at Jeru- 
salem — in a restricted way, to be sure, and yet 



108 Evangelism and Baptism, 

in a large, commanding and significant sense. 
And that church, With the churches which came 
after in the New Testament period, has been 
through all the succeeding centuries to this day 
the one exalted and commanding type of the local 
church and churches. 

Surely nothing could give the local church more 
pronounced emphasis, or could show its distinc- 
tion and worth in a more forcible way, or com- 
mend it more to the heart of those who love 
Christ, who know by blessed experience his sav- 
ing grace, and who desire the triumph of his 
cause and in bringing of his kingdom. 

A writer in England gives great emphasis to 
four fundamentals in the gospel system as fol- 
lows : The deity of Jesus, the supremacy of the 
Scriptures, the empire of conscience, the sanctity 
of the single church. Each of these items was 
brought to the front and set aglow with heavenly 
Hght on the day of Pentecost and the days that 
followed. They stand or fall, live or die together. 
They are inseparable except for disaster, and 
mark the failure or triumiph of the Redeemer's 
kingdom — the sanctity of the single church no 
less than the others. 

Essential in themselves, these great facts and 
factors are essential to each other as interlocking 
forces, if they are to abide and triumph and bless 
the world — holding the everlasting truth of God 
in impregnable solidarity. No man can strike 
either one — the deity of Jesus, or the supremacy 
of the Scriptures, or the empire of conscience, or 



Magnifying the Local Church. ^09 

the sanctity of the single church — without strik- 
ing the other; cannot mar one without marring 
the other. To stand for one is to stand for all 
four — the deity of Jesus, the supremacy of the 
Scriptures, the empire of conscience, and the 
sanctity of the single church — each in its own 
sphere and proper relation. Inscribed on our 
banner as the banner of the cross, appealing to 
our love, loyalty and faithfulness, they point the 
way to victory and to further leading of captivity 
captive. 



X. 

LEFT HIS CHARIOT TO BE BAPTIZED/^ 



''As they went on their way, they came unto a 
certain water : and the eunuch saith, Behold, here 
is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 
And he commanded the chariot to stand still : and 
they both went down into the water, both Philip 
and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when 
they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the 
Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw 
him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing." 
— Acts 8 : 36-39. 

The trusted official from the royal court of 
Ethiopia, having been converted while traveling 
the highway homeward, left his chariot for the 
distinguished service and ceremony of being bap- 
tized. It was in token of his new experience of 
grace, his pledge of allegiance and loyalty to his 
Saviour newly found, Jesus Christ the Lord. A 
happy convert this, as he met the first duty at the 
threshold of his new life — finding at the very start 
a new joy in walking the Lord's appointed ways. 
For in this act he was following his Lord, whose 
baptism in the Jordan gave to the ordinance dis- 
tinction and honor, and who set his signet for all 
who should come after; ''thus it becometh us to 
fulfill all righteousness.'' 

♦ Biblical Recorder, Raleigh, N. C„ Oct. 27, 1915. 
(110) 



Left Hw Chariot to Be Baptized. \W 

The present purpose is a study of this baptism 
administered in the halt of travel, but marking 
somewhat a typical baptism of the New Testa- 
ment period, when historical Christianity was in 
the making and the gospel of the cross was win- 
ning its first victories. It should not fail to com- 
mand attention, for though simply set in the 
frame-work of this remarkable incident, there is 
yet in its quiet observance an emphasis and marks 
of distinction all its own. To know this narra- 
tive aright, to set its lessons for our guide, and 
to follow its great lines of procedure, would go 
far toward solving many problems of modern 
Christianity. 

Baptism Set in the Perspective. 

This incident is our inspiration and example 
in winning the lost to the Saviour, shows the New 
Testament emphasis for the great ordinance, and 
its commanding place as a didactic ceremonial 
service. 

What is told of Philip and the man of Ethio- 
pia can hardly be more than an outline of what 
was said and done. There is, however, much of 
detail in the narrative, while the outline itself is 
wide of scope and large in perspective. And it 
may in no small degree be filled in with what is 
known of New Testament life and literature. But 
the baptism itself is so conspicuous and command- 
ing in the record, so boldly set in the perspective, 
that it cannot be displaced or marred in its re- 



112 Evangelisiri and Baptism. 

lation to what is written, no matter hpw much 
may be even rightly read into the account. While 
not first either in the record or in importance, and 
though secondary, the baptismal occasion has its 
permanent place of prominence and standing in 
the incident, and as a ceremonial service was the 
crowning finish of what had gone before. 

Had the narrative closed with the omission of 
our text, for example, all the Christian world to 
this day would be left wondering what became of 
the chariot ride. Preacher and hearer had met, 
teacher and pupil had come face to face, brought 
together under auspicious circumstances, and had 
matters for discussion of supreme moment. But 
what of the result? This is answered when in 
this ride they come to ''a certain water,'' and the 
gracious work comies to its flower in the eunuch's 
request and Philip's response. The sequel is 
told in the baptism that followed. ^'They both 
went down into the water, both Philip and the 
eunucK, and he baptized him." They came up 
out of the water and were separated, each going 
his way, biit after such a meeting as brings new 
joy to the human heart and awakens the songs 
which the angels sing. The official from Ethiopia, 
having put dn Christ in baptism, went his way 
wearing the new badge of distinction and honor. 

Evangelizing and Conversion Preceding, 

Except for this condition going before, the 
baptism would be without meaning or even oc- 



Left Hi^ Chariot to Be Baptized. 113 

casion. It was the answer of a renewed con- 
science — a new man seeking an expression of his 
new Hfe. This is the chief point of emphasis both 
in the narrative and throughout the New Testa- 
ment concerning the great ordinance — first con- 
version or salvation through faith in Christ, and 
then baptism to follow as its public expression. 
There is nothing in the ordinance for the unsaved 
who seek through its means the pardon of sin, 
nothing for the infant who is incapable of believ- 
ing, and no place for the sponsor who would 
stand for the child. It is for the believer only, 
as his personal act of privilege and responsibility. 
Repentance, faith, baptism — each of them is per- 
sonal. Every one must give account unto God 
for himself. 

Philip and the Ethiopian are a fine example of 
one winning one to Christ, and securing obedi- 
ence to him in the things which he has com- 
manded. It was a signal victory for the cross and 
the risen Christ ; a striking illustration, too, of the 
commission in individual eflfort. Great prin- 
ciples are here at work, yielding rich returns with 
one meeting one, no less than with the thousands 
at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. And it 
came through processes, seemingly commonplace, 
but really signal and extraordinary. A great 
work had just been wrought in the city of Sa- 
maria, where the people believed Philip preach- 
ing the things concerning the kingdom of God, 
and the name of Jesus Christ, and "were bap- 
tized both men and women." 



114 Evangelism and Baptism. 

Preaching as They Rode in the Chariot. 

And now with that work finished, PhiHp was 
directed by the ''angel of the Lord'' in the way 
that goes down to Gaza, and by "the Spirit" to 
join himself to the passing chariot. A chance 
meeting, the w^orld would say, but mighty super- 
intending forces in evangelistic work were bring- 
ing preacher and seeker after truth face to face. 
What a chariot ride that was on the common 
highw^ay of the country. What holy forces su- 
perintended and guided ! What great and gra- 
cious themes with momentous issues, for thought, 
and heart-to-heart talk! The scripture read at 
the time by the nameless man from the royal 
court, was the starting point for Philip in preach- 
ing Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb of whom the 
prophet had written but who is now offered for 
sin, atonement and salvation. 

There is no means of knowing, and imagina- 
tion would hardly venture to lift the curtain on 
the scene, how far Philip went in telling the story 
of redemption through the cross, or how much 
the eunuch already knew of things which in the 
recent years had come to pass — of the wonder- 
ful life of our Lord and what followed, of the 
great Pentecost with its wonders and glorious 
results, of the new Cause now rising, triumphant 
everywhere and the occasion of common report, 
and even of the recent meeting which had 
brought great joy to the city of Samaria. The 
result, too, is meager in the telling, much more 



Left His Chariot to Be Baptized. 115 

meager than we could wish, but no doubt there 
was something much Hke what is omitted from 
the new version but contained in the old on 
grounds more or less justifiable with the earlier 
translators — "See, here is water; what doth hin- 
der me to be baptized? — If thou believest with 
all thine heart, -thou mayest — I believe that Je- 
sus Christ is the Son of God — he commanded the 
chariot to stand stilF' — and the baptismal pool 
waited for the coming of the preacher and his 
distinguished candidate. 

Baptism in the Act of Immersion. 

''Both went down into the water, both Philip 
and the enunch and he baptised him'' — and ''they 
came up out of the water/' The great ordinance 
is described here in detail, as to its physical act, 
more fully than any other case in the New Tes- 
tament — resembling somewhat the account of the 
baptism of Jesus in the Jordan. In each case 
they went into the water, were baptised, came out 
of the water, the eunuch following the example of 
his Lord. In each case the word — baptized — tells 
what was done ; the baptism of Jesus was an im- 
mersion in the river, the baptism of the eunuch 
was an immersion in "a certain water'' which lay 
in the way to Gaza — the latter being more em- 
phatic than the former, but both being so mani- 
fest as to make the act clear to every obedient 
heart seeking to walk in the way of the Lord and 
to follow his example. 



116 Evangelism and Baptism. 

Bishop Ellicott, one of the foremost of Greek 
expositors and of the Church of England, com- 
menting on this text, says : 'The Greek prepo- 
sition might mean simply U7ito the water, but the 
universality of immersion in the practice of the 
early church supports the English Version/' 

Even John Calvin, the founder of Presbyte- 
rians, says of the passage : ''Here we see how 
baptism was administered among the ancients for 
they immersed the whole body in water/' And 
in his Institutes he says : "The word baptise sig- 
nifies immerse, and it is certain that the rite of 
immersion was observed by the ancient church/' 
Literally volumes have been filled with quota- 
tions of similar import taken from lexicons, com- 
mentaries, encyclopedias and other publications 
whose authors represent all denominations of 
Christians. Centuries have passed since the great 
Calvin spoke his word, but that word has been 
confirmed and given greater emphasis, if possible, 
by every succeeding generation since, and is the 
last strong word of modern scholarship with ab- 
solutely no room to gainsay its meaning. 

Concerning the Spiritual iVIeaning. 

Learning and scholarship are in agreement with 
the common mind in reading the simple account 
of this baptismal service, and both alike see im- 
mersion in the significant act. But baptism is 
more than a physical act, though the physical act 
of immersion is its essential form, essential in its 



Left His Chariot to Be Baptized. II7 

observance and in symbolizing its larger and 
richer meaning. In its sphere and function bap- 
tism is essential, requires for its integrity proper 
spirit, form and purpose, and is given here great 
emphasis in its spiritual meaning as descibed in 
this incident of New Testament history. For 
this baptism in a marked and earnest way was 
sought from an obedient spirit — the spirit of con- 
version — and was observed in the spirit of obedi- 
ence; the immersion of a saved man seeking to 
follow and honor his Saviour. 

''He baptised him/' is the simple word, but the 
act in its symbol goes very far in what it says 
in behalf of the eunuch, and in telling us what 
was done, and what its wonderful meaning. 
There was immersion and emergence, burial and 
resurrection, typical of the change wrought in 
his heart — ''buried therefore with Christ through 
baptism into death ; that like as Christ was raised 
from the dead through the glory of the Father, 
so we also might walk in newness of life.'' This 
is the greatness and glory of baptism, then and 
to this day. And the man honored in the royal 
family of Ethiopia found here a new honor and 
entered on his risen life in Christ Jesus. 

Fitting Sequel to the Beautiful Scene. 

It is not known whether others witnessed this 
baptismal ceremony, whether some, passing in the 
common travel, paused to look on this service, 
new and so out of the ordinary — an act admin- 



118 Evangelism and Baptism. 

istered in the name of high heaven. But surely 
it is not far-fetched to suppose that ''the angel 
of the Lord'' was in attendance as when he 
turned Philip into the road which leads down to 
Gaza, and that "tht Spirit of the Lord" was pres- 
ent and guiding as when he directed Philip to 
join himself to the chariot. There had been in 
the earlier days something like this at the bap- 
tism in the Jordan. Then the heavens opened as? 
if to let the angels witness the lowly yet august 
scene; and the Holy Spirit descended in dove- 
like form for a signal to John of the Messiahship 
of Jesus. The preacher and his charge were cer- 
tainly walking the heavenly way. 

The baptismal service ended, immediately ''the 
Spirit of the Lord'' caught away Philip for new 
fields of labor — the scene closing abruptly as it 
began, but not out of keeping with its lofty and 
dignified character throughout. Nothing is 
known of the man from Ethiopia, except what 
appears in the record, "of great authority under 
Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over 
all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to 
worship." Whether a proselyte of the Jewish 
faith or a Hebrew brought up in a foreign court, 
we have no means of knowing ; but a devout wor- 
shiper, diligent in searching the Scriptures, and 
finding more than he had dreamed of. 

He had met his "Lord even Jesus" in the way 
as he journeyed, as surely as did Saul of Tar- 
sus, en route to Damascus. Without the midday 
vision of glory he had yet its blessing in richness 



Left His Chariot to Be Baptized. 'HQ 

and fullness. Nothing is known of his return or 
what message he bore back to his home country. 
His chariot had driven into the scene unan- 
nounced, as the curtain was raised, and now 
passes out with no ado as the curtain falls. But 
only this word, "he went on his way rejoicing,'' 
and it is the last we hear of him, — nothing of 
his after life — homeward bound with a new joy 
in his heart, and a new song to make the world 
better and brighter. 

''Oh, how happy are they, 
Who their Saviour obey, 

And have laid up their treasure above ! 
Tongue can never express 
The sweet comfort and peace 

Of a soul in its earliest love.'' 



XI. 

BAPTISM OF SAUL OF TARSUS.* 



Excepting the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, 
the baptism of Saul of Tarsus at Damascus was, 
perhaps, the most remarkable and startling single 
baptism in the whole course of Christian history. 
It was quiet enough, having nothing akin to the 
spectacular, nothing, so far as we know, which 
would attract public attention. He was baptized, 
probably, by Ananias, who went to him as the 
Lord's special messenger, and also probably in 
one of the rivers about which Naaman boasted 
when he dipped himself seven times in the Jor- 
dan: *'Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of 
Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?'' 
In our study, however, of the ordinance in this 
concrete case, as with his conversion, we must 
distinguish between what is remarkable and start- 
ling, and what is basal and essential in its mean- 
ing. For this baptism was as other baptisms, ex- 
cept, like his conversion again, the ordinary is 
set in the frame-work of the extraordinary. And 
yet, as a ceremonial service in the Christian sys- 
tem, the commanding importance of the ordinance 
was given tremendous emphasis by the character 
and history of the man, while baptism, itself, was 

* The Baptist Standard, Dallas, Texas, Nov. 18, 1915. 
(120) 



Baptism of Saul of Tarsus, ]21 

greatly magnified and crowned with honor by the 
circumstances in which it came. 

The joyous submission of Saul of Tarsus to 
this simple, though beautiful, Christian ordinance, 
the baptism of this Hebrew of the Hebrews, this 
Pharisee of the Pharisees, who started for Da- 
mascus from Jerusalem, breathing out threaten- 
ing and slaughter against everything Christian, 
marked a revolution powerful and sudden in his 
own character and life, with a moral and religious 
upheaval in current events. The news must have 
come as a cyclone in at least two cities, friend or 
foe not knowing what it meant. The Power, 
which was thought dead and out of the way, had 
suddenly reappeared; and, with new fire, touched 
a magazine in which was gathered the best prod- 
uct of Hebrew culture and life — and there was 
an explosion, the undoing of the old to make way 
for the new. 

Marking Out the Boundary Line. 

'Immediately there fell from his eyes as it 
had been scales, and he received his sight forth- 
with, and arose and was baptized'' Acts 9: 18. 
This is the entry in the record of his baptism 
which marked the boundary between the old life 
and the new — his life of persecuting Christians 
at Jerusalem and his life in Damascus of preach- 
ing Christ crucified, the Messiah of Israel and the 
Saviour of sinners — with only a few days inter- 
vening. Radical changes had been wrought with- 
in and without. There had been an exchange of 



122 Evangelism and Baptism. 

commissions— the authority from the high priest 
of hate and death being displaced by the commis- 
sion from the Lord, his new King, who met him 
in the way. 

That change is told by himself in his defense 
on the stairway at Jerusalem and before Agrippa 
at Csesarea twenty-five or thirty years later, when 
his spiritual life had been deepened and seasoned 
by suffering and service, mellowed and enriched 
through new and larger experiences : ''At mid- 
day, O king, I saw in the way a light from 
heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining 
around about me, and them that journeyed with^ 
me. ... I fell unto the ground, and heard a 
voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why perse- 
cutest thou me? And I answered. Who art thou, 
Lord ? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Naz- 
areth, whom thou persecutest. . . . And I said. 
What shall I do. Lord? And the Lord said unto 
me. Arise and go into Damascus; and there it 
shall be told thee of all things which are ap- 
pointed for thee to do. And when I could not 
see for the glory of that light, being led by the 
hand of them that were with me, I came into Da- 
mascus'' — "not disobedient to the heavenly 
vision.'' 

In this meeting, so simple and august, there 
had been an encounter, man with man, sinner 
with his Saviour, and Saul of Tarsus surrendered 
to '^the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to him 
in the way as he came" — surrendered in intellect 
and will, in his religion and life purpose. God 



Baptism of Saul of Tarsus. 123 

had touched him, and he was willing in the day 
of God's power — acquiesced, consented, purposed 
a new purpose, and chose a new course in life. 

Saul of Tarsus henceforth was a new man in 
Christ Jesus — a sinner conquered, indeed, but a 
sinner saved. His baptism, as ceremonial serv- 
ice, followed at Damascus, as if to raise a banner 
at the point where conquest had been made — a 
signal of victory for his new King. Jerusalem 
and Damascus were only a few days apart lit- 
erally, but in his experience the poles asunder. It 
marked a new life, a new fellowship, a new broth- 
erhood, as recognized by Ananias, whom the Lord 
sent to Saul to ''tell of the things appointed for 
him to do,'' that he might receive his sight and 
the gift of the Holy Spirit to further fit and equip 
him for his new and special mission. 

This gives the historical setting of his baptism 
and lays the base lines for the larger study of 
its fuller and richer meaning. Our present con- 
cern is not with his conversion in its overpov/er- 
ing greatness, but with his baptism, in which, as 
a ceremonial service, that conversion found its 
first expression, and he avowed for the first time 
his allegiance and loyalty to his new King as 
Lord and Saviour. That act, so simple, yet so 
heroic and morally sublime, is best seen in his 
own great utterances concerning it, for some of 
the noblest things left on record, as he cam.e more 
and more into the larger service of life, were ex- 
pression of what is meant when he was ''buried 
with Christ in baptism," in one of "the rivers of 



124 Evangelism mid Baptism. 

Damascus/' It was the glory of his life in strug- 
gle and conflict, and forecast the coming glory 
in the presence of his King. 

His Passion for Obedience. 

*'And now, why tarriest thou? Arise, and be 
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the 
name of the Lord (Acts 22: 16). This is his 
word when many years from the scene at Da- 
mascus, and long since had become the Apostle 
Paul, he now repeats the story of his baptism, 
standing on the stairway at Jerusalem with a mob 
clamorous for his death — not ashamed in such 
presence that he had been baptized, calling on 
the name of the Lord, even Jesus. The word so 
brief yet emphasized two vital and momentous 
points in the wonderful meaning of baptism as a 
ceremony, viz. : its calling to the new man for 
obedience to the new King, and its symbolic im- 
port, showing the twofold efficacy of the blood 
for the remission and the washing away of sin 
— even his sins, which always seemed greater to 
him than the sins of others. It magnified in 
glorious fashion the ceremonial beauty and sig- 
nificance of the great ordinance — symbolizing the 
fountain opened in the house of David to ''Be of 
sin the double cure. Save from wrath and make 
me pure.'' 

It is a dangerous perversion and painful let- 
ting down of this ceremony in the Christian sys- 
tem, to count it a purchase price in baptismal 



Baptism of Saul of Tarsus, 125 

remission, or any sort of efficiency in literal wash- 
ing away of sin, or effiacious and operative in 
baptismal regeneration; as compared with its 
lofty symbolic intent to mark the highway of 
obedience for such as know the grace of God in 
the forgiveness of sin, and to emphasize the im- 
portance of serving God in the line of his com- 
mandments. Baptism, both as symbolism and 
obedience, would appeal mightily to Saul of Tar- 
sus, having had the highest training as Hebrew 
of the Hebrews, to keep the Law of the Lord, to 
walk in his statute, and to observe his ''cere- 
monies to do them/' 

All this, of course, assumed new and loftier 
meaning when, in the experience of the riches of 
mercy, he came into new relation with the Lord 
Jesus, and lived in the glorious gospel of the 
grace of God. Not less, but more obedient, the 
love of Christ meanwhile always constraining, 
and the joy of the Lord increasing his strength 
with the increase of service. He had a very pas- 
sion for obedience, born of the mightiest power 
of the soul. ''Not disobedient to the heavenly 
vision,'' was the key to his great life, at the first 
and on through all the succeeding years to the 
finish. His views of baptism, so lofty and strong, 
carried into the evangelical preaching of today, 
would create new evangelistic power and augment 
the efficiency of its appeal; would be a rock of 
defense for the evangelical faith, a living and pow- 
erful apologetic for the Cross and the risen 
Christ. 



126 Evangelism and Baptisin. 

His Baptism an Immersion. 

The word baptize signified that he was im- 
mersed w^hen baptized at Damascus. This is 
confirmed in Romans 6 : 3-4 and Colossians 2 : 
12; 3: I, where he appeals to the ordinance in 
the form of immersion, and shows its symboHc 
import, its wonderful spiritual meaning and its 
practical worth in calling the believer to a godly 
life ir Christ Jesus. Baptized into Christ — bap- 
tized into his death — buried with Christ in bap- 
tism — raised up also with him — with him to walk 
in newness of life, having the affections set on 
Christ at the right hand of God — these are his 
words and are of tremendous import. They show 
the believer's union with Christ — died with him 
— risen with him ; crucified with Christ, neverthe- 
less, they live in him. It shows also the believers' 
union with one another in a common experience 
of grace in Christ Jesus, and the outward bond 
and badge of their fellowship in the one baptism. 

This is the far-reaching significance and power 
of the apostle's great word, and the meaning of 
his baptism is written in immersion as the form 
essential to observance. The spiritual finds ex- 
pression in the physical and outward. It is the 
testimony of believers being in Christ and Christ 
in them the hope of glory. It gives emphasis to 
experiential grace, and to individual responsi- 
bility in observing the ordinance in its outward 
iovm — each one for himself. And the ordinance 
itself is exalted in the power and glory of its mes- 



Baptism of Saul of Tarsus. 127 

sage, being everywhere the emblem for the gos- 
pel of resurrection power; Christ's own chosen 
signal of his conquest over sin and death, and 
of how he brought life and immortality to light. 
This is its meaning, whether for Saul of Tarsus, 
for believers at Rome and Colossae, to whom he 
was writing, or for all who should come after, 
even to our own times. 

The Form Essential to Its Meaning. 

Dr. Plummer, a Presbyterian, says : 'Tt is only 
when baptism is administered by immersion that 
its full significance is seen." Conybeare and 
Howson, of the Church of England, say : 'This 
passage (in Romans) cannot be understood un- 
less it be borne in mind that the primitive bap- 
tism was by immersion.'' Dr. WilHam Sanday, 
also of the Church of England, and foremost 
among Greek expositors, says of this text : "Bap- 
tism expresses, symbolically, a series of acts cor- 
responding to the redeeming acts of Christ; im- 
mersion equals death, submersion equals burial 
(or ratification of death) ; emergence equals res- 
urrection." The emergence — lifting the person 
from his submersion — is not only a physical ne- 
cessity, but is essential to the symbol and com- 
pletes its symbolic import, showing Christ risen 
from the dead and the believer risen with him 
in the experience of grace. 

The emblematic power of the ordinance is in its 
form; its power of utterance is in its form; its 



128 Evangelism and Baptism. 

very self is in its form — form which expresses 
wonderful meaning — the emblem of what grace 
has done and will do. It is surpassingly great 
in the uniqueness of its message; shows "how 
Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose the 
third day, according to the Scriptures/' As fig- 
ure and symbol baptism has no message for ''sal- 
vation by education,'' or through ''evolution of 
character," or through "culture" in some high 
way. It speaks only of atonement — atonement 
through the blood of the everlasting covenant, for 
new birth and new heart by the Holy Spirit, and 
for becoming a new creature in Christ Jesus. 
This is its one word — the word which must not 
be broken, or weakened, or altered forever : "God 
has made him who knew no sin, to be made sin 
for us, that we might be made the righteousnss 
of God in him." Wherever this emblem goes, this 
great truth for human redemption is set at the 
front as a message of grace. 

His Baptism the Christ Uniform. 

The apostle, concerning his baptism, makes a 
bold change of figure, and, like the others, full 
of meaning. His baptism was his Christ uniform, 
which he wore to mark his alignment and al- 
legiance. "Ye are all the children of God through 
faith in Christ. For as many of you as have been 
baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3: 
26-27). This is wonderful putting of words to- 
gether, the expression of experience and salva- 



Baptism of Saul of Tarsus. 129 

tion, of sublime thinking and teaching, God's 
children — faith in Christ — baptized — putting on 
Christ by baptism — enough to overpower and 
confuse in thought, yet distinct and exalted in its 
meaning. Such setting of the ordinance shows 
its exceptional character and important service 
in Christian life, and gives fresh emphasis to the 
study of the baptism of Saul of Tarsus. 

Its fundamental principle is clear and may be 
marked throughout the Scriptures. Faith in 
Christ is the means and method of becoming a 
child of God, baptism is the micans and method 
for its public expression and for public alignment 
with the followers of Christ. It is a Christian 
service — a service for God's children, and w^orthy 
"the child of a King.'' So it was with Saul of 
Tarsus, so it must be with all who would follow 
him as he followed Christ. It is their obligation, 
only there should be no waiting for obligation ; 
it is their privilege, the impulse of love, their joy 
to walk in the way their Lord went — the baptized 
Saviour of a baptized people. No others can wear 
its badge of honor, and it draws a line of de- 
marcation between the children of God and those 
who walk the ways of the world. 

It is the Christ uniform, and gives the believer 
a badge of distinction, and demands that he walk 
worthy of his calling and have his conversation 
as becometh the gospel of Christ. A uniform 
does not make a soldier, but m.arks him as to his 
allegiance and service, and becomes his outward 
bond of union and fellowship with all who have 



130 Evangelism and Baptism. 

walked in this way of the Lord — a common bap- 
tism with him and with all who know him as Lord 
in like obedience and wear this common uniform. 
It is a distinction for believers and for the broth- 
erhood of believers. This was the apostle's honor, 
and so he counted it among Christians every- 
where — the mark of the soldiers of the cross and 
its triumiphant badge on every field. 

The Word in Conclusion. 

There are those, however, who insist on the 
lower level, while deluding themselves that they 
walk the "higher heights'' of spiritual experience 
and service. Born of God, they say, and with 
the new hope in their hearts, they have no need 
of baptism or church membership ; that baptism, 
not being essential to salvation, has, therefore, no 
value or place in the walks of the kingdom — as 
if it were nothing to honor the Lord's ordinance, 
nothing to walk in his appointed way and in his 
method of grace. Not so with Saul of Tarsus, 
but in the glow and glory of his vision he was 
immediately baptized, joined himself to the dis- 
ciples, and began to tell the good news of salva- 
tion. 

Let us back, then, to our starting point, to the 
baptism of Saul of Tarsus at Damascus. Many 
years had intervened when he sent his lofty words 
to Rome and Colossse, to Ephesus and the 
churches of Galatia. Since then he had gone far 
abroad with the gospel of grace, but all the while 



Baptism of Saul of Tarsus. 131 

his baptism at Damascus was a precious memory, 
giving strength and inspiration in its sublime les- 
sons. He and others like minded and of kindred 
spirit, serving under the one banner of one King, 
had borne it into far-av/ay cities and distant 
countries of the world. 

But always and everywhere, the simple, beau- 
tiful ceremony w^hich he observed at Damascus 
was the one baptism — the same in symbolic form, 
the same in lofty, obedient spirit, the same in its 
one great purpose of expressing in figure the 
achievements of grace — to glorify Christ and 
crown him King in the heart and life — the ''one 
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Fa- 
ther of all, who is above all, and through all, and 
in you all." This was the unbroken, unvarying 
testimony of Saul of Tarsus, from the day he met 
his Lord in the way to Damascus, until the end 
came, and he went home to receive his plaudit and 
his crown. 



XIL 

BAPTISM AND THE EVANGELICAL 
FAITH.* 



"Those matters which have been fulfilled 
among us'' (Luke i: i). "After that he had 
given commandment through the Holy Spirit 
unto the apostles whom he had chosen . . . 
appearing unto them by the space of forty days, 
and speaking the things concerning the king- 
dom of God" (Acts 1 : 2, 3). "The faith which 
was once for all delivered unto the saints" (Jude 

3)- 

"Giving diligence to keep the unity of the 

Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, 

and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one 

hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one 

baptism, one God and Father of all, who is 

over all, and through all, and in you all." — Eph. 

4: 3-6. 

The term evangelical faith is sufficient for 
present purpose, though not uniform or definite 
in its general meaning and use. In some respects 
the words mark a base line of agreement betw^een 
certain denominations, but they also set a line of 
division including some, excluding others. That 
base of agreement for the most part, as cardinal 
in the evangelical faith, is the doctrine of the 

* Alahama Baptist ^ Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 1, 1915. 
(132) 



The Evangelical Faith. 133 

Lordship of Jesus and such other doctrines as it 
implies in New Testament faith and practice. 
With a foundation and scope as strong and safe 
as this, the term, though not of scriptural origin 
and also of comparatively recent date, should yet 
represent the best of modern Christian thought 
and life. 

It is better, however, if we can, to get back to 
the New Testament, for even the evangelical faith 
would prove further division if followed out in 
definition, each one speaking for himself and each 
people speaking for themselves, as to what is 
evangelical. And in the last analysis we must 
come to the Scriptures for the final word, in be-, 
lief and practice, and to the expression of inspired 
writers for a statement of evangeHcal truth to 
which we can commit ourselves. But to do this 
we must take account of the great ordinance of 
Christian baptism, which, however, is thought by 
some to be a disturbing element among the fol- 
lowers of our Lord, but which must have recog- 
nition and standing in the evangelical faith. 

For the ordinance is inevitably and inseparably 
connected with the Lordship of Jesus, involving 
in its connection and didactic power his authority, 
his work of atonement and his very nature itself. 
Baptism at its very heart means the deity of Je- 
sus, his giving himself on the cross for sin, and 
his resurrection from the tomb for human re- 
demption — all of which is written large in New 
Testament life and literature. And if baptism 
were removed from all the creeds of Christendom 



134 Evangelism and Baptism. 

by mutual consent in ''the interest of a broader 
fellowship/' we still must face it in the New Tes- 
tament, with a bold and commanding position iru 
the life, practice and teaching of the apostles and 
of our Lord himself. We cannot be loyal to him 
and set it aside. And whatever else may be true, 
we may be sure that his prayer for oneness of be- 
lievers, and the apostle's great word for the unity 
of the Spirit in the bond of peace, did not con- 
template its abolishment or its marring or the 
minifying of things commanded. 

It is, however, significant, that evangelical 
Christians, excepting individuals more or less 
numerous in the several denominations, have 
shown no purpose or wish to eliminate baptism 
from their belief and practice. They differ as to 
its nature, purpose and meaning, varying all the 
way from symbol to a means of salvation, but it 
holds prominent place in their formulas of belief, 
and not one of them would vote as a body to 
covmt is no longer an "institution of the church." 
This is worthy of emphasis, for baptism even in 
its perversion has historical value as testimony 
running back through the centuries for historic 
Christianity. There could be no false if there 
had not been the true ; no counterfeit if there had 
not first been the genuine and original. But the 
nearer our views come to the New Testament 
view of baptism, in the simplicity of its spirit, form 
and purpose, the more valuable will be that tes- 
timony for evangelical truth, the greater also will 
be the honor for the people who resolutely and 



The Evangelical Faith. 135 

loyally walk in the way of the Lord — a baptized 
people following a baptized Saviour, in the stand- 
ard and ideal which he set at the Jordan ; ''Thus it 
becometh us to fulfill all righteousness/' 

This is the meaning in part at least of the great 
scriptures at the head of this article for its di- 
rection and undergirding. The word faith has a 
twofold meaning in the New Testament — 'Taith 
and the faith." The first, faith in Christ which 
saves, the vital process of the soul in commit- 
ment of itself to him as Saviour — an experiential 
saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus. This is 
Paul's "one faith" which unites to the ''one 
Lord," and expresses itself in the "one baptism" 
as an act of joyous obedience. It gives to believ- 
ers oneness of saving experience, and is the basis 
of a common brotherhood in Christ, and of one- 
ness of fellowship in him. And this faith in 
Christ readily passes on to larger things concern- 
ing him, merging itself into believing with the 
heart that God hath raised him from the dead 
and believing with the heart unto righteousness. 

And thus out of faith comes the faith — things 
believed, m.ore or less systematized, and at once 
the basis and expression of doctrinal character 
and life. There is no necessary conflict between 
life in Christ and doctrine concerning him, as 
there is no conflict between the fountain and its 
stream, between the tree and its fruit. This is 
the faith of the New Testament. It cam.e to be 
the faith of the disciples and of succeeding gen- 
erations through the process of teaching and learn- 



136 Evangelism and Baptism. 

ing. With the teacher it is doctrine then and now, 
but with the learner it becomes his faith — the 
things which he beUeves — as he incorporates the 
teaching into his own thought, character and Hfe. 
And so the faith is propagated and projected. 
And the faith with the disciples becomes the faith 
with us, our having, of course, enrichment and 
spiritual power from personal knowledge of 
Christ and personal experience of his saving 
grace. 

So the faith has its succession, somewhat even 
in the form of sound words, and with an unim- 
peachable and impregnable base, and is a better 
phrase for use than evangelical faith. What was 
surely believed among the disciples as things es- 
tablished, what they saw and heard with m.any in- 
fallible proofs, what they learned from Christ 
as he taught concerning the kingdom of God and 
gave commandments through the Holy Spirit, be- 
came for the disciples and succeeding genera- 
tions, through due processes and in the fullness 
of its scope and sweep, ''the faith once for all de- 
liverance to the saints;'' and in large measure is 
specified in Paul's ''seven unities," with baptism 
included as a Christian institution. 

In the "one baptism," therefore, he not only 
gives the ordinance a place in the New Testament 
system of faith, but with the greatest significance 
he counts it among the Christian unities, in one 
of the noblest utterances in all his writings. He 
was not indulging in rhetoric and phrase-making, 
as someone had the hardihood to suggest, but 



The Evangelical Faith. 137 

spoke from his own rich experience as in Ro- 
mans 6: 3, 4, was in harmony with the remark- 
able origin and history of the ordinance, and un- 
der inspiration was thinking God's thoughts after 
him and speaking the word God would have him 
speak. One body — one Spirit — one hope of your 
calling — one Lord — one faith — one baptism — one 
God, even the Father of all — this is august com- 
pany for the word baptism with what some call 
its homely m.ethod, and even more for the 
great ordinance w^ith its lofty thought and 
commanding character. So much so, indeed, that 
some expositors are embarrassed and puzzled in 
their efforts to interpret the text without assign- 
ing too large a place and honor to a ''mere ex- 
ternality in religion.'' 

But why should they balk at this? The place 
of baptism in this beautiful summary, though ex- 
alted and commanding, is no greater than its 
place in the commission where it is closely and 
significantly related to the three Persons of the 
Godhead, even as Paul connects it here with the 
one Spirit, the one Lord, the one God — even Fa- 
ther of all. iVnd nothing greater, moreover, than 
its place with the wonders of Pentecost, in som.e 
respects the most signal day in Christian history, 
where baptism may be seen in practical service, 
fulfilling its ceremonial function and symbolizing 
the great evangelical truths of the gospel. And 
all this is fully matched, perhaps overmatched, in 
the concrete case, when on the august occasion 
Jesus came to John to be baptized of him in the 



138 Evangelism and Baptism. 

Jordan, and was immersed in the historic river 
— the heavens opening in its honor, the three 
Persons of the Godhead being present and shar- 
ing in the service, and the Father giving his ap- 
proval before men and angels. 

Having such history and prestige the great 
ordinance then came easily and by right to its 
place among the "seven unities," was in full ac- 
cord with them, taken separately or in unit, and 
shared with them in the fullness and richness of 
their meaning. It should be heralded as they are 
heralded, and like them make its appeal to a 
divided Christendom for ''the unity of the Spirit 
in the bond of peace.'' We should accord it this 
distinction and honor in our thinking, and so 
gain a more adequate view of its symbolic char- 
acter in the Christian system, and of its ceremon- 
ial worth in Christian experience and service. 
''The Scriptures must be allowed to say what they 
want to say," in rating and giving rank to the 
ordinances of the Lord's house. It is worth our 
while to learn how with open heart and mind to 
be at ease with the great words, the noble phrases 
and even the mysteries of the Scriptures, and with 
joyous willingness to follow where they lead. 

The apostle in his "one baptism" was not, as 
this article is not, making plea for immersion as 
against "other modes of baptism." For at that 
time there was no question of "other modes," 
these having risen centuries later, according to 
the best authorities in modern scholarship and 
learning. But in the order and sweep of his 



The Evangelical Faith. 139 

thought, the apostle was emphasizing the one bap- 
tism in the sense of the same baptism, common to 
all believers everywhere, and the one external 
symbol of their brotherhood and fellowship. Pre- 
cisely, indeed, as they had the same faith in the 
one Lord, the common experience of grace 
through the one Spirit, the one hope of their 
calling, and the same glorious relation with the 
one God even the Father of all. 

This was with him the one glorious bond of 
union for the brotherhood of believers, and the 
one baptism was the common badge or uniform 
of its distinction. On the other hand, however, 
this glorious view of baptism and this great em- 
phasis of its spiritual meaning, mxanifestly could 
not change its physical restriction and require- 
ment. For the ordinance, though larger in mean- 
ing than the physical act of baptism, cannot even 
in its loftiest conception be separated from that 
word or the word's meaning as immersion. This 
comes first and is basal to all else that may be 
said. Whether we think of baptism as ordinance, 
ceremonial service, institution of the Christian 
system, figure or symbol, monument or mem.orial, 
or whatever else, we must come back to this as 
the one form of the one baptism, essential always 
to its observance and right administration. The 
Bible itself in its wonderful character and con- 
tent of meaning, like its ordinances, is first a 
piece of mechanical handiwork of type and print 
and binding — the physical containing the spiritual 
and making its expression possible. So the phys- 



140 Evangelism and Baptism. 

ical form of baptism is essential to its spiritual 
meaning. 

Without this there can be no baptism, as there 
cannot be an immersion without immersion, and 
without this as our base we cannot interpret what 
it means. Even the ''one baptism/' in the glory 
of its company with the Christian unities, must, 
first of all, carry within itself the physical mean- 
ing of the word as the physical act of immersion 
— a physical act with spiritual meaning as with 
John and Jesus in their sublime but physical act 
of baptizing and being baptized in the Jordan. 
And so in the unities of Ephesians, as in Romans 
and Colossians, the apostle, in the sweep and rap- 
ture of his great experience, would count his bap- 
tismi a burial and resurrection. Immersion and 
emergence make the one symbol of his having 
died with Christ and been raised up with him as 
a man risen from the dead — the emblem of the 
''one hope" of his calling in Christ Jesus. 

The ordinance of baptism, moreover, as set out 
in the New Testament, requires and is large 
enough for both its physical act and spiritual 
meaning. The absence of either vitiates and sets 
it aside in its lofty character and purpose. Its 
teaching power for the m.ost part is in its form, 
and it contributes largely through its form to the 
defense and propagation of the evangelical faith 
— nearly every one of the great doctrines of grace 
having illustration and emphasis by virtue of its 
symbolic power. And the Greek church never 
abandoned the form of immersion, but the Ro- 



The Evangelical Faith, X41 

man Catholics, claiming the right to make the 
change, substituted first pouring and then sprink- 
ling for immersion. This was the undoing of the 
ordinance so far as they were concerned, and 
with the going of the original form went also its 
spiritual meaning and beautiful symbolism. A 
fearful train of evils followed both in practice 
and doctrine. It was Rom.e's break with the faith 
of the apostles, and with New Testament simplic- 
ity, standards and ideals. Against this the con- 
tention ever since has been for baptism as it was, 
not for the form per se, but for the form as hold- 
ing its great meaning and as essential to its ob- 
servance. To have it as Christ left it is safer and 
more loyal. 

This article is a plea for its larger, loftier char- 
acter, and for its closer relation and better recog- 
nition in the evangelical faith. With this place 
and function which it has by Scripture right, and 
with its original form and didactic purpose, bap- 
tism would give greater emphasis to evangelical 
truth, would contribute to its evangelistic power, 
and become itself an evangel for ''unity of the 
Spirit in the bond of peace." It was not the cause 
or even the occasion at the first for dividing the 
followers of our Lord, but the great ordinance, 
beyond what we dare think, may yet be a future 
messenger for bringing them Into the oneness for 
v/hich he prayed, and for the enlargement and en- 
richment of the evangelical faith. Its mission 
has been great in the past, but may be even 
greater for the future. 



142 Evangelisvi and Baptism. 

Its monumental evidence for past achievements 
of grace has been glorious, but baptism has a 
further prophetic voice for the final and trium- 
phant consummation. Symbols abound in na- 
ture, art and literature for death and immortality, 
but baptism, bolder and richer in its figure, goes 
further, and speaks its word for burial as symbol 
of defeat, but also for resurrection power and 
glory — the mightiest and most triumphant of all 
achievements. Its voice, as a song sung in joy- 
ous hope, is for the redeemed, washed in the blood 
of the lamb, with white robes and palms of vic- 
tory. It is the foreword and foregleam of the 
great day, when ''in the ages to come God shall 
show the exceeding riches of his grace, in his 
kindness toward us in Christ Jesus'' — angels 
powers and principalities attending to do him 
honor and crown him Lord to the glory of God 
the Father. 



XIII. 

WILL SPRINKLING DO AS WELL FOR 
BAPTISM?* 



''Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was 
baptized of John in the Jordan. And straightway 
coming up out of the water he saw the heavens 
rent asunder.'' — Mark 1:9. 

''Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them 
into the name of the Father, and of the Son and 
of the Holy Spirit.''— Matt. 28 : 19. 

"They both went down into the water, both 
Philip and the eunuch ; and he baptized him. And 
when they came up out of the water the Spirit 
of the Lord caught away Philip ; and the eunuch 
saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoic- 
ing."— Acts 8 : 38, 39. . . 

"All we who were baptized into Christ Jesus 
were baptized into his death. We were buried, 
therefore, with him through baptism into death" 
(Romans 6: 3, 4). . . . "Having been buried 
with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised 
with him through faith in the working of God 
who raised him from the dead. . . .If then 
ye were raised together with Christ, seek the 
things that are above, where Christ is, "seated on 
the right hand of God." — Col. 2 : 12 ; 3 : i. 

Will something else — sprinkling, for example 
— answer as a substitute for baptism? Taking 
these scriptures in their plain meaning and in 
their oneness of emphasis for immersion as the 

* Baptist and Reflector, NashvUle, Tenn., Dec. 23, 1915. 

(143) 



144 Evangelism and Baptism. 

prescribed form of baptism, will some "other 
mode'' do as well? The question, though incon- 
gruous and well-nigh impossible as it may seem, 
must be treated with genuine courtesy and due 
consideration. For sprinkling is much honored 
as a ''mode of baptism,'' and is largely followed 
with sincerity and devoutness. For example, the 
Westminster Confession of Faith, one of the most 
remarkable deliverances in Christian history, 
says : ''Dipping of the person into water is not 
necessary; but baptism is rightly administered 
by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person." 

Furthermore, the Roman Catholics throughout 
the world have for centuries maintained sprink- 
ling as their "mode in the sacrament of bap- 
tism." And miany, many thousands of people who 
honored our Lord, who blessed the world in their 
Christian character and service, have lived and 
died in the practice of sprinkling, counting it a 
suitable"mode" for administering the great ordi- 
nance. Many thousands today, their successors 
in belief, stand in the same practice and make 
the same claim. 

All this, however worthy it may be of kindly 
consideration, does not in any wise change the 
issue, cannot answer the question which con- 
fronts us, can hardly be a legitimate factor in its 
settlement, and yet it adds to the gravity of the 
discussion and makes m.ore urgent the demand for 
its righteous adjustment. The opinions and prac- 
tices of others, however honored and influential, 
does not relieve one from personal obligation 



Will Sprinkling Do as Well. 145 

either to know for himself or act for himself. 
The question is one of personal duty, as personal 
as eating and sleeping. It must be answered by 
the New Testament, and the New Testament is 
an open book in its pattern of belief and life. 
Everyone must give account for himself unto God, 
— in baptism as in every other Christian duty, 
now as well as in the judgment at the last great 
day. Baptism is a personal privilege, the answer 
of a good conscience. If others fail and come 
short in duty or privilege, that is no excuse for 
us. We must answer the question for ourselves 
— each one for himself — will sprinkling do as 
well for baptism as immersion? 

This is not a question of mere form or ''mode.'' 
It goes deeper than that, much further back, and 
is of vital importance. It concerns the great ordi- 
nance in its whole nature and meaning. It makes 
an issue between ''sprinkling as a mode of bap- 
tism" and the New Testament, which repre- 
sents Christianity in the m.aking and is the em- 
bodiment of what was required in those first 
years. The New Testament must be supreme 
in this matter, and we must not hesitate to follow 
where it leads. There may be difference of in- 
terpretation but not in the question of its suprem- 
acy in all matters of Christian belief and practice. 
Do we find sprinkling in the New Testament as 
baptism? That is the simplest form of the ques- 
tion and points the way for its settlement. It 
cannot be determined by personal preference or 
convenience, nor by what good people have done 

10 



3^46 Evangelism and Baptism. 

in the past and are doing in the present, nor by 
what Roman CathoHcs may claim in the way of 
authority. 

Baptism — the baptism for the followers of 
Christ — started with John the Baptist. God sent 
him to baptize. His baptism was an immersion, 
as shown by all the circumstances both physical 
and spiritual. The people came confessing their 
sins and w^ere immersed. There was no sprink- 
ling as a ''mode" of baptism, and it cannot be 
substituted now as something which will do as 
well as that baptism which was from heaven and 
not of men. 

Christ's baptism as he set the example in the 
great ordinance, was an immersion. It had the 
approval of his Father, was magnified in solemn 
and august way by the Holy Spirit appearing in 
dove-like form, and had the additional emphasis 
of his own words : 'Thus it becometh us to fulfill 
all righteousness." Even were there many 
"modes" of baptism, surely the devout heart 
would choose that form in which our Lord was 
baptized. There is scarcely a difference of opin- 
ion among either learned scholars or the unedu- 
cated readers of the English Scriptures about the 
baptism of Jesus. Shall we follow him in his 
choice of immersion, or substitute sprinkling as 
something that will do as well? 

The baptism which he commanded in the com- 
mission, so far as concerns the physical act, is 
an immersion, as shown by the meaning of the 
word, and has tremendous emphasis and the high- 



Will Sprinkling Do as Well. I47 

est possible honor by its vital relation to the Per- 
son of the Godhead. That perhaps is the most 
august setting the great ordinance has through- 
out the Scriptures. The one word, baptizing, 
which always means immerse and is the only word 
ever used to name the ordinance — makes the 
form an act of immersion. It is a holy act of 
obedience, and of worship, and of glorifying the 
eternal Godhead. The keeping of it sacred and 
in its integrity even to its form, involves the sov- 
ereignty and authority of Jesus. Someone has 
said : 'Tt is a heroic obedience to obey the laws 
of God, simply because they are God's laws and 
not because he has promised to reward the obedi- 
ence of them.'' A true and noble sentiment, in- 
deed, and yet it is loftier and nobler, when one, 
out of the fullness of his heart, puts love and loy- 
alty into his obedience. This is the supreme serv- 
ice, and no word from Rome, even when followed 
by others however good and great, can undo the 
commission and displace immersion by sprinkling 
as a "mode of baptism which will do as well." 

Philip's baptism of the man from Ethiopia was 
an immersion, the angel of the Lord and the Spirit 
of the Lord attending in the way which went down 
to Gaza. It was a simple roadside act in itself, 
as the high official left his chariot for the dis- 
tinguished service of obeying his Lord and fol- 
lowing him in baptism. And yet there was great- 
ness in the act. It repeated so nearly the wonder- 
ful scene at the Jordan, it was in harmony with 
the august setting of the ordinance in the com- 



148 Evangelism and Baptism. 

mission, and stands as a commanding type of 
how baptism was administered in the New Testa- 
ment period. Let any one read the simple story 
for himself: 'They both went down into the 
water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he bap- 
tized him. And when they came up out of the 
water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip" 
— will sprinkling do as well as matching this New 
Testament examxple, and can it meet the circum- 
stances of the occasion and fill out the wonderful 
significance of its meaning in figure and symbol? 

Furthermore, the baptism spoken of by Paul 
in Romans and Colossians, is manifestly an im- 
mersion as to its physical act, and symbolizes in 
a wonderful way burial and resurrection; first, 
the burial and resurrection of Jesus, then the be- 
liever's spiritual resurrection with Christ and 
his risen life in him, and then the final resur- 
rection of the dead, when the end shall come 
and the Son of man shall speak the word for 
them to live again. Sprinkling has no word 
for these mighty events in the world's history 
already passed and yet to come, and would 
utterly destroy the spiritual meaning and symbolic 
import of the great ordinance. 

In addition to all this, sprinkling and pouring, 
like infant baptism, their companion in origin but 
more direful in effects, are not once mentioned 
in the New Testament, either as baptism or as 
having any sort of connection with baptism. They 
are out of keeping and in many ways contravene 
its spirit and form, its express purpose and spir- 



Will Sprinkling Do as Well. I49 

itual meaning. They cannot be traced in their 
history to Christ or his apostles in word or prac- 
tice. We must set the New Testament aside if 
either sprinkHng or pouring is to be followed for 
baptism instead of immersion. They had their 
origin as ''mode of baptism'' with Rome when 
Rome ruled the Christian world with a rod of 
iron, and were enforced by prison and sword and 
burning at the stake, until their practice with in- 
fant baptism made the darkest and bloodiest stain 
in the course of Christian history. From the 
imperial city they were injected into the cleanest 
and best the world ever saw, until the whole be- 
came almost the foulest of the foul. 

They are our heritage from ''the dark ages" 
and have been wrought into modern Christianity 
as a residue of those far-off timics, and have been 
fastened on the Christian world of today. They 
came through Rome as substitutes for immer- 
sion, as "modes of baptism that will do as well,'' 
and Rome's decree has taken the place of the New 
Testament and set aside the authority of our Lord 
himself. Even when traced beyond Romanized 
Christianity, pouring and sprinkling lead not to 
Christ and his word, but come of pagan customs 
and conditions. This is all a matter of history, 
and can be easily verified, concerning pouring, 
and sprinkling, and the practice of baptizing in- 
fants. The course of history concerning these 
things cannot be undone, and they cannot be put 
in the place of New Testament baptism, whether 
as then decreed by Rome or as practiced now by 



150 Evangelism and Baptism. 

better people with better intent. An error in the 
hands and even hearts of good people is still error, 
as poison in the hands of a child is still poison, 
and will surely do its deadly work. 

Pouring and sprinkling for baptism, though 
somewhat modified by modern conditions, will 
ever remain the mark of Romanism in its worst 
days. Their practice indicates almost inevitably 
historical connection with Rome, even when they 
are found among good people who have no sym- 
pathy with Rome but rather make vigorous pro- 
test against the Catholics. Indeed, Roman Cath- 
olics make the charge that "their baptism has been 
taken by Protestants" and incorporated — more 
properly retained — in Protestant systems of belief 
and practice. Whatever may be said of the 
charge, certain it is that historically among Prot- 
estants, pouring is of Rome, sprinkling is of 
Rome, infant baptism is of Rome — all came from 
the city of the Caesars, and are of Roman thought 
and invention. They are not of the New Testa- 
ment, are not of Christ, and have gone far afield 
of what he commanded and practiced in the way 
of Christian baptism. (See pp. 37-39.) 

My book, The Moral Dignity of Baptism (pp. 
220, 225) enforces this point in the following 
way: 

"Indeed, Christ never used the word sprinkle 
for any purpose. He commanded baptism but did 
not command sprinkling. The two words cannot 
take the place of each other; they stand ever 
apart each in its own sphere, having its own 



Will Sprinkling Do as Well. I5I 

meaning and service. Sprinkling cannot be a 
'mode of baptism/ as it cannot be a mode of im- 
mersion. . . . 'Sprinkling as a form of bap- 
tism/ (i) is not like the baptism of Jesus, (2) 
does not commemorate in picture his burial and 
resurrection, (3) cannot show in emblem the be- 
liever's union with his Lord in those mighty 
events of tragedy and triumph, (4) nor does 
sprinkling show the believer's being dead to sin 
and buried, nor his risen life in Christ, (5) nor 
can sprinkling foretoken in form the final resur- 
rection. Nothing but immersion can fill this high 
ofiice or give this exceptional service. Design or 
purpose is more important than form, and yet is 
inseparable from its form.'' 

Without its form of immersion there can be no 
baptism, however much one may retain its proper 
spirit and exercise in himself good intentions. 
Those who practice sprinkling are most forward 
in speaking of the great ordinance as ''mere 
rite," "mere ceremony," and some go so far as 
to call it "only a command." The reason is easy 
to see. Having abandoned the New Testament 
form of the ordinance, they have lost also the 
New Testament meaning, and failed to discern its 
exalted character. And so the great ordinance 
means little to them as they see it only in sprink- 
ling. Its wonderful spiritual meaning, its sym- 
bolic beauty and didactic power so largely in its 
form, are not seen by them, for these things have 
no expression except in immersion. For this rea- 
son those who practice sprinkling also, more than 



152 Evangelism and Baptism. 

others, are ready with the word — ''it makes no 
difference/' ''a Httle water will do as well as 
much/' and so on to the end of minifying. They 
see no meaning in the ordinance, giving it but 
little concern, count "one mode as good as an- 
other,'' but always preferring to set aside im- 
mersion and substitute sprinkling. xA.nd so the 
New Testament baptism disappears so far as they 
are concerned. 

But this question, so lightly disposed of by 
them, lies at the very heart of the question of 
Christian Union, so much talked of and so greatly 
desired. For baptism, while not at the first either 
the cause or occasion for division among Chris- 
tians, has in later years become largely both cause 
and occasion for the division being continued. It 
is more deeply rooted than any other one doctrine 
of divergence, and marks the most pronounced 
and acute stage of separation. And yet there 
must be adjustment here in the matter of bap- 
tism if Christian Union is ever to be mxOre than 
idle talk and sentimental dreaming. Our Lord 
prayed for oneness among those w^ho are his, but 
surely he did not contemplate the setting aside 
of great matters of doctrine, and least of all would 
he have us disregard this great ordinance which 
he commanded and in which he promised his pres- 
ence and blessing. 

So sprinkling, viewed from any standpoint, is 
sadly inadequate as a mode of baptism, is un- 
scriptural, of unsavory origin and invention, and a 
grievous divisive among the people of God. Over 



Will Sprinkling Do as Well I53 

against sprinkling stands immersion in a trium- 
phant way, as the scriptural form of baptism with 
its wonderful history. Christ walked in that 
way, commanded us to follow his example, and 
there must be no substituting of something else 
as being just as good. ImmiCrsion alone, as the 
form of baptism, tells in figure and symbol the 
story of his burial and resurrection, and to set it 
aside is to hush its wonderful story of the empty 
sepulchre. Taken in conjunction baptism and the 
jMemorial Supper, having been set together in the 
divine purpose and plan, tell of death and burial, 
of resurrection and the risen life, of defeat and 
disaster, but also of conquest and triumphant con- 
summation. 

Thev voice in symbolic form that wonderful 
word of our Lord spoken on Patmos ; I am he 
that liveth, and was dead ; behold I am alive for 
evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death. 
Surely this gives great micaning to these cere- 
monial rites, a meaning such as the world finds 
nowhere else in figure and symbol, such a mean- 
ing as sweeps the heart with music sw^eeter than 
the music of the spheres. Herein Christ is 
preached — in a way almost miore powerfully than 
in v/ords — Christ who died but is not dead, a 
Saviour who died but is not dead, a King who 
died but is not dead, the Lord who died but is 
not dead, the one unconquered conqueror who 
died but is not dead, having overthrown death 
and ascended on high, having the keys of hell and 
of death as the trophy of his conquest. 



XIV. 

THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE IN 
BAPTISM.^ 



As ONE of its characteristics baptism is a 
physical act with reHgious character and func- 
tion, a "form of godHness'' in the fullness of 
power, if held to its scriptural thought and pur- 
pose. Its physical act is in the form of immer- 
sion in water, its character the spirit of obedi- 
ence and worship, its religious functions to serve 
God in the ways of his appointm.ent. Some count 
the form of no consequence, and so miss the ordi- 
nance altogether ; others count the form all there 
is of it — hold that baptism as immersion is suffi- 
cient — and so miss its larger ceremonial meaning 
and its richer symbolic import. Its form is essen- 
tial to its observance and right administration, 
and is largely the expression of its lofty use in 
ceremony and symbol. 

This beautiful Christian ordinance, with a rec- 
ord now of nearly twenty centuries, is a marked 
feature of New Testament life and history. And 
throughout it has the command and authority of 
our Lord, and is conspicuous for its symbolic em- 
phasis of the doctrines of grace and for the power 
of its ceremonial testimony for things experienced 

* Baptist and RefteGtor, Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 2, 1915. 
(154) 



The Voice of Conscience. \^^ 

in the heart. For baptism, according to the 
Scripture, is the figure of salvation through the 
resurrection of Jesus, and not the putting away 
of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good 
conscience toward God. This unusual combina- 
tion — God, conscience, baptism — puts baptism 
out of the ordinary, and sets it among things 
which are of surpassing greatness. As when 
given by our Lord a place of efficiency and vital 
relation to the Persons of the Godhead in the 
commission, or when assigned a place of distinc- 
tion by the great apostle in his noble summary of 
the Christian unities — one body — one Spirit^one 
hope of your calling — one Lord — one faith — one 
baptism — one God, the Father of all. 

It is scarcely to be wondered at, but rather 
a further testimony to the greatness of the ordi- 
nance, that from the first until now^, some have 
set it out of its sphere and rightful service, or 
attributed to it more of efficacy than was right 
or true, or have otherwise missed its meaning or 
misread its message. Even at the first, as the 
gospel went abroad on its larger mission, there was 
need for apostolic correction, for some thought 
baptism could put away ''the filth of the flesh,'' 
as if to magnify the cleansing power of its im- 
mersion, could cleanse the life of sin and elim- 
inate from the flesh tendencies which are wrong 
and sometimes ruinous. And there are other 
more modern theories, but scarcely less unworthy, 
that have claimed for it a sort of magic pow^er 
unto salvation, washing away or remission of 



156 Evangelism and Baptism. 

sins, or some ill-defined sacerdotal or sacramental 
grace. 

But as an adequate offset to all this stands the 
New Testament simplicity of baptism with its 
standards and ideals. Having tremendous mean- 
ing and of great honor, it is yet restricted in its 
sphere and function — set for lofty mission and 
purpose, but incapable of doing or serving in 
others. Baptism has its prescribed form — an im- 
mersion in water as to the physical act, and serves 
its religious function in part at least as the an- 
swer of good conscience toward God. The ordi- 
nance is not itself the conscience, does not itself 
possess moral quality, but becomes its voice for 
the expression of its judgments in behalf of God, 
and in emphasis of his honor and right to rule. 
It is remarkable as a ceremionial service, and de- 
pends not on its environment but simply on the 
august character and significance of its message. 
It is the voice of conscience in baptism — an ex- 
ternal physical act giving expression to the deep- 
est, profoundest passion of the human soul. It 
means God's claim on the conscience and life — 
the conscience's answering the demand, making 
recognition of God, and avowing its purpose to 
walk in his statutes and serve him in the ordi- 
nances of his love. 

Baptism cannot make the conscience pure, but 
simply serves as its voice, can take no stain of sin 
from the soul, cannot give a new heart or miake 
us new creatures in Christ Jesus. But the good 
conscience is the conscience of a renewed heart 



The Voice of Conscience. 157 

and marks a work of grace wrought within by the 
Spirit of God. It is conscience set right and 
trained in the principles and ways of righteous- 
ness. Otherwise one would not come to baptism 
at all, except through some delusion as to the 
saving power of the ordinance, or some evil pur- 
poses as with Simon Magus, whose heart was not 
right in the sight of God and who was baptized 
while still in the gall of bitterness and the bond 
of iniquity. But in such cases it would be no 
baptism — even though an immersion — only a per- 
formance outwardly religious, but having no 
meaning and could easily become a solemn mock- 
ery and a dangerous sacrilege. 

This may be counted an ideal too high, but 
surely it is of the New Testamient standard, and 
worthy of our seeking and following. We need 
to discriminate both as to our conscience and as 
to what our conscience would have us do — all 
the more because of the divided sentimiCnt and the 
inadequate views concerning the great ordinance. 
We should set ourselves to have the baptism 
which God intends and which Christ commianded 
— the right baptism by the New^ Testam.ent stand- 
ard in spirit, form and purpose, and m.aking the 
answer of a good conscience unto God. Saul of 
Tarsus is an illustrious exam.ple of the conscience 
before and after conversion, and emiphasizes the 
need of its being made right. He exercised him- 
self in his unsaved condition, to have his con- 
science void of offense before God and men. He 
was self-centered, followed the ''dictates of his 



158 Evangelism and Baptism. 

own conscience'' both in worshiping the God of 
his fathers and in persecuting Christians unto 
death — followed his conscience, but his con- 
science was wrong and led him in the wrong way. 
But after his conversion all this was changed. 
His conscience was converted, and trained in the 
way and service of Christ. He centered all in 
Christ not only for his salvation and hope, but 
for the government of his life. Christ's will and 
law became his will and law, from the time he 
met him in the way to Damascus. The love of 
Christ became the passion of his soul and the 
supreme law of his life — the one restraining and 
constraining principle and powder. His was the 
''good conscience," and would voice itself for 
God in wdiatever way and manner occasion re- 
quired — whether to be baptized or to give him- 
self as a martyr for a martyr's crown. This is 
what a good conscience calls for no less now than 
then, and should mean as much with us as with 

the followers of our Lord in the far-off vears. 

«/ 

It is a supreme moment when the conscience, un- 
der the sway of God's grace, speaks its word for 
him ; and if baptism be the voice of its expression 
it gives to the ordinance a standing and rank such 
as when the angels do his will. 

We must not undervalue this because baptism 
is so often misunderstood and sometimes counted 
of little consequence. The voice of a good con- 
science is a voice to be heard and honored, what- 
ever the medium of expression, and the medium 
of its communication assumes in a way the dis- 



The Voice of Conscience. I59 

tinction and glory of the mighty issues involved. 
God — conscience — baptism, can never be other- 
wise than of commanding nature and import. 
Conscience is often called, perhaps generally un- 
derstood to be, the seat of authority in human 
character, and yet its dictates are not always 
obeyed — not even concerning baptism. Nearly 
everyone knows how it even clamors at times to 
be heard in other matters, yet its calls are set 
aside. Its voice is sometimes suppressed by the 
will in sheer willfulness, sometimes stifled by 
other passions of the soul, sometimes overpow- 
ered by the sweep and drive of bodily appetites 
and lusts, and sometimes set at naught by out- 
side conditions and circumstances. But in every 
such case it is more or less the breakdown of 
man's moral quality, and the failure of conscience 
to have its voice heard in the moral realm of 
thought and life. 

The plea of this article is for the right exercise 
of conscience, that it be true to God in baptism 
as in other matters, and command the life to his 
honor and service. For its call is sometim.es set 
at naught, and sometimes the whole affair is 
counted of no value or consequence. God is not 
heard, the ordinances of his house are disre- 
garded, or even belittled before men and angels. 
Why would not his word of rebuke to the unfaith- 
ful priest apply in this case, and with startling 
emphasis and meaning : '"For them that honor 
me I will honor, and they that despise me shall 
be lightly esteemed?" For man in dealing with 



160 Evangelism and Baptism. 

his own conscience is often dealing with God, and 
stifling its voice may be stifling God's voice. The 
question of a man's baptism may become the 
point of issue between him and his God — for the 
conscience has only made God's demand and now 
awaits the man's answer. 

The voice of conscience in baptism then, besides 
being a recognition of God, means also personal 
obligation and obedience. It gives great empha- 
sis to that individual character in the service of 
God, which is everywhere manifest throughout 
the Scriptures — God dealing with man and man 
dealing with God face to face. 

In the great ordinance man walks as if alone 
with God, his conscience making its call and his 
God awaiting his answer. One cannot be bap- 
tized or meet the obligation of baptism for an- 
other. There is no room for the sponsor in the 
Christian system, whether by parents or others. 
The sponsor, so conspicuous in some circles, is un- 
known in the New Testament or the Old. In 
baptism each one must answer for himself, pre- 
cisely as he must repent and believe for himself. 
God regenerates by units and saves one by one. 
Conscience is tremendously individual, and its 
keeping cannot be either assumed by another or 
committed to another. This is true throughout 
the whole range of Christian experience and life, 
and the question of a man's being baptized can- 
not be an exception. 

Every one must give account unto God for 
himself in his baptismal vows, no less than in 



Tfie Voice of Conscience. 1Q1 

any other phase of hfe, whether duty or privilege 
or experience. It is the fundamental principle, 
without variation and everywhere imperative — 
we might say, imperious, and cannot be set aside 
without dishonor to God and detriment, possibly 
peril, for the man. The experience of two young 
ladies is recalled as illustrating all this. They 
were of different communions, brought up in dif- 
ferent sections of the country, of excellent home 
life and culture, and both baptized in infancy as 
they had been taught. One heard a sermon in 
which the preacher made the rem.ark rather inci- 
dentally — ''every one is answerable to God for 
his baptism.'' It could not be gainsaid, was an 
arrow between the joints of the harness, and 
smote her heart with the conviction that she 
could not answer for what she had received in 
infancy. The other came face to face w^ith the 
question of baptism's being ''the answer of a good 
conscience toward God,'' and felt in her soul that 
this was not true with her. Both of them after 
severe and prolonged struggle followed their 
Lord in personal obedience, were buried with him 
in baptism upon profession of a personal faith, 
and lived long and useful lives in his service. 

The conscience needs enlightenment and train- 
ing in a broad, general way, in order to be ready 
for emergencies and specific questions. A man's 
conscience is not unlike his watch, and needs reg- 
ulating, setting and winding, and sometimes to be 
done all over in repairs. Sometimes there is a 
revolution in the conscience that sets evervthinof 

11 



162 Evmigelism and Baptism. 

at a different standard and marks a new course 
in life. A man follows his watch and yet his 
watch may lead him astray. There is need for a 
regulator outside himself. And the answer of 
a good conscience in baptism stops not with self 
or with others, but is unto God as the supreme 
standard, and his Word for regulator and regula- 
tion. A man having an important engagement 
looks at his watch to find it stopped, having run 
down. He set the hand to the rio^ht hour, but 
when later looking to it for his guide he found 
the hands standing where he left them. He had 
forgotten the winding and so it failed him in the 
time of need. Something like this is all the while 
occurring with men in dealing with their con- 
science. Not trained in the usual, it fails in the 
unusual; not trained for today it goes all wrong- 
in the emergency of tomorrow. There can be 
no right or safe training in conscience, no lay- 
ing in store safeguards for protection and govern- 
ment in the affairs of life, except as God is made 
the supreme standard and his Word the supreme 
test of its decisions and judgments. 

And now this final w^ord concerning baptism 
and its serving as a voice for the good conscience. 
It is only when God is back of it all and recog- 
nized as ruling the life of the individual in this 
specific act. Cared for, and intelligently observed 
after the New Testament plan and pattern, the 
great ordinance is an education in conscience and 
individual responsibility. Some fail to see its use 
or service or exceptional worth, and yet it has 



The Voice of Conscience. ]^g3 

educative efficiency because of the great prin- 
ciples which it involves and commands. It makes 
God supreme in a man's character and life. It 
is far away from the question of ''mere form/' 
and deals with the profoundest questions in 
moral and religious thought. It sees God on the 
throne as person and judge of the whole earth, 
and brings human accountability to the front with 
mighty and startling emphasis. We cannot rule 
out these great personal obligations from a man's 
baptism, for in this, as he walks in the fear and 
joy of God, the voice of conscience makes itself 
known. 

Personal baptism means personal salvation pre- 
ceding, and this again means personal dealing 
with God in Christ Jesus. It shows God as an 
individual with the individual man, and Christ 
as the individual Saviour with the individual sin- 
ner— "My Lord and my God'' being the personal 
conviction of every redeemed soul. He is God 
.of the nation, and God of the family, but first and 
deepest; the God of the individual, man for man. 
And salvation is to him that believe th^ and obedi- 
ence is for the one to v/alk in the w^av of the Lord 
for himself for God's honor and glory. This 
great truth runs all through the Scriptures from 
God's first question to man in his sin — ''Where 
art thou?" to the final invitation of grace — 
"Whosoever will, let him. take of the w^ater of life 
freely." This is the basal principle in the whole 
Christian system, whether of being saved or of 
right living, whether in our thought Godward, or 



164 Evangelism and Baptism. 

in our conduct manward. It gives great char- 
acter to individual obedience, whether ceremonial 
as in baptism or otherwise in the whole range of 
walking after the ways of God. 

As illustrating its educational power, consider 
baptism, not in the abstract, but in a concrete 
case of one coming to the great ordinance for 
himself. He has found the Saviour and the Sa- 
viour has found him. He has the sense of par- 
don in his soul and seeks with joy the command- 
ments of his Lord. This man for himself, 
whether accustomed to move among kings and 
princes or in the humble walks of life, is baptized 
into the name, — of the Father — and of the Son — 
and of the Holy Spirit — and so professes his 
faith in the Unity and Trinity of the Godhead, 
vows allegiance to each in his Person and office, 
and pledges his loyalty in baptism.al vows as the 
line between his old life and the new. Nothing 
can be more sublime or more commanding among 
men, and its lesson for educational efficiency is 
reflected with every repetition of the great ordi- 
nance in the service of the King. This is indi- 
vidual baptism, the answer of the good conscience 
toward God — of the conscience renewed and 
turned in the way to seek his w^ord and to follow 
his will. 



XV. 
BAPTISM A FIGURE OF SALVATION.* 



''The like figure whereunto even baptism doth 
now also save us (not the putting away of the filth 
of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience 
toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 
who has gone into heaven and is on the right 
hand of God; angels and authorities and powers 
being made subject unto him.'' — i Peter 3: 21, 
22. 

The text, in its connecting link, is apparently 
not easy of translation, but the meaning is clear. 
The New Version does not help, but rather makes 
it more cumbersome. The apostle, speaking of 
Christ, who bore our sins in his own body on the 
cross ''that he might bring us to God, being put 
to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,'' 
came to speak of t^ose who were saved through 
the ark. And then, to illustrate and enforce his 
thought concerning Christ, he characterizes bap- 
tism as follows : In like manner even now bap- 
tism, not the putting away the filth of the flesh, 
but the answer of a good conscience toward God, 
is the figure of our being saved through the res- 
urrection of Christ. So we have in baptism the 
figure of his resurrection and of the salvation 
through him, "who was delivered for our offenses 
and was raised again for our justification." 

^ Religious Herald, Richmond, Va., Oct. 7, 1915. 

(165) 



166 Evangelism and Baptism. 

This is the thought which is enforced in the 
text and is of infinite moment in our present-day 
thinking and teaching. Christ's resurrection for 
our salvation is the reaHty, and baptism its picture 
— the original and its likeness, the historical event 
of one rising from the dead and its picture set 
out before the world. Ancient and historic as an 
ordinance, baptism, then, may be characterized in 
modern terms as the photograph or ''moving pic- 
ture show'' with marvelous precision of what took 
place from the new tomb in the garden. 

It may well remind us, in dramatic way and 
with no uncertain meaning, of the earthquake on 
that night of wonders in the world's history, the 
great stone rolled away, the Roman sentinels fall- 
ing down as dead men, the risen Christ appear- 
ing and reappearing, the angels sitting in the 
empty sepulchre in white apparel, with the start- 
ling message from the other world : ''Ye seek 
Christ crucified ; he is not here ; he is risen as he 
said; come see the place where the Lord lay." 

The apostle in the text speaks of baptism as 
something quite familiar to those to whom he was 
writing, and puts in a strong word as to its rela- 
tion and noble use in the scheme of grace. Its 
fame had gone abroad even in those early years, 
from the Jordan and Jerusalem, "to the strangers 
scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia 
and Asia" — signaling wherever the gospel was 
preached the triumphs of the cross and the risen 
Christ. 

Four things are here said showing its wonder- 
ful significance and lofty character: 



Baptism a Figure of Salvation. \Q'J 

1. Though an ordinance requiring the physical 
act of immersion in water, baptism is ''not the 
putting away of the filth of the flesh'' — not a bath 
or washing or outer cleansing of any kind. It 
has marvelous outward meaning, as we shall see, 
but in no sense for cleansing the body or the life 
of its wrongs and pollutions — much less the inner 
cleansing of the soul from sin. 

2. Baptism is ''the answer of a good conscience 
toward God'' — showing its spiritual meaning as 
distinguished from its physical act, indicating 
one's experience of grace, his conscious attitude 
and bearing toward God, and emphasizing its 
character and dignity as ceremonial obedience 
and worship. 

3. Baptism is a figure of the salvation which 
is offered of God, as was the ark, to save from 
impending ruin, and which is accepted by the be- 
liever in Christ for deliverance and safety from 
sin, as with the eight souls when the flood came. 

4. Baptism bears testimony to Christ as risen 
from the dead, having "suft'ered for sin, the just 
for the unjust," but now reigning in resurrection 
glory, having "gone into heaven and is on the 
right hand of God; angels and authorities and 
powers being made subject to him." 

These several phases of this New Testament 
figure, while severally distinct, yet overlap some- 
what and all center in magnifying its wonderful 
meaning and didactic character, whether wt think 
of it as ordinance, ceremony or symbol. It is 
here magnified to m.agnify Christ and the salva- 



168 Evangelism and Baptism. 

tion which comes through him. God set it in the 
gospel system, and from century to century it has 
told the story of his grace with charm and power. 

The word figure is somewhat unusual, but sig- 
nificant. It means an impression taken from an 
original pattern, or an expression of an original 
as seen in its copy — the outward declaration of an 
inward experience makes visible a soul transac- 
tion which, in its nature, is invisible. . In the 
printer's shop it is a proof taken — the copy from 
its original pattern — the sign from the thing signi- 
fied — the truth seen in picture and symbolic form 
as taken from the real and glorious truth itself. 
Herein is the greatness of baptism.. It holds in 
symbolic form some of the miost wonderful work- 
ings of God, and sets out to public view, in a 
figure, the mightiest and most rapturous experi- 
ences possible in the human heart. 

The text, therefore, emphasizes baptism as a 
figure of salvation, a picture from its original 
pattern, a symbol of great realities. Salvation 
taken in the fullness of its meaning may be con- 
sidered from different viewpoints with baptism 
serving as the figure, picture or symbol of them 
all. For example in brief, salvation may be 
viewed as God's work of grace in his provision 
for saving sinners; salvation may be viewed as 
the believer's experience in accepting of Christ 
through faith, in which he is saved, becomes an 
heir of God, and is as one risen from the dead ; 
salvation may be viewed as the new life which 
one lives in Christ Jesus — a new life in God's 



Baptism a Figure of Salvation, 169 

service among men ; salvation may be viewed in 
its glorious consummation with resurrection 
power and glory for the believer in Christ — his 
^'salvation ready to be revealed in the last day/' 

All this the ordinance holds in figure and ex- 
presses in symbol. Baptism is not salvation, but 
its figure ; does not save, but symbolizes the sav- 
ing grace of God in Christ's atonement for sin; 
baptism is not the resurrection of Christ, but its 
figure, marking that great event in its historical 
character and saving power; baptism is not the 
remission of sin or the washing away of sin, but 
their figure, the visible showing of the invisible 
cleansing and remission — not causative, as procur- 
ing, but declarative of something already come; 
baptism is not a new heart, cannot make the heart 
new, but is its figure, the outward expression of 
the inward change and experience ; baptism is not 
a good conscience, but its answer, cannot make 
the conscience good, but meets its demand for 
obedience and walk in newness of life ; baptism is 
not the resurrection of the dead, but its figure, 
the forecast of that wondrous event to which be- 
lievers look as the consummation of their hopes. 

Do I magnify this simple Christian rite too 
much? Is it not m.arked with honor and distinc- 
tion throughout the New Testament wherever it 
has mention ? Has not God, who set the stars in the 
heavens, set this significant ceremony in the gos- 
pel system as part of its organic life and charged 
it with the mission of preaching in figure and 
symbol the everlasting message of his grace ? Do 



170 Evangelism and Baptism. 

we get all its wonderful meaning and learn its 
lesson as God would have us do? There are 
those who walk under the stars, but see nothing 
of their glory ; who stand within the thunders of 
Niagara, and have no sense of wonder awakened 
within them. There are those, too, who can speak 
of this great New Testament ordinance as ''mere 
rite,'' or "only a ceremony," or ''an external 
thing" of little consequence. And others, not 
going quite so far, can make it an occasional jest 
or joke. Why, rather, should we not contem- 
plate the great ceremony in its wonderful mean- 
ing, as Jesus did at the Jordan, and catch the full 
significance of his word: "Thus it becometh us 
to fulfill all righteousness" ? 

It is surely God's message in figure and sym- 
bol, and, reaching the heart through the eye, is 
something more powerful than the spoken word. 
Its content of meaning, expressed largely in its 
form, remains the same through all the years and 
centuries. It means the same to us, if only our 
hearts will receive it, that it meant to Jesus at 
the Jordan, or to the disciples on the day of Pen- 
tecost — all it meant, indeed, throughout those 
early years of triumph in preaching the gospel. 
We do well to set our hearts to this matter, and 
see that we do not come short in our estimate 
of the value and larger use of baptism as a figure 
of salvation. 

Summing up and repeating somewhat, for sake 
of emphasis, baptism in its symbolic import or 
figure declares salvation or being saved to be of 



Baptism a Figure of Salvation. I'JI 

God's grace, to be spiritual in character, to give 
a good conscience which no outward act can give, 
and that it comes through the resurrection of Je- 
sus, and not in any sense through work of right- 
eousness which man may do. The text, and other 
Scriptures as well, sets the resurrection of Jesus 
over against the great ordinance as reality and 
figure — as original and copy — the one a mighty 
event in the history of the world, the other its 
figure, unchangeable in form, unmistakable in 
meaning, and to abide through all times. 

Through the centuries, therefore, in unbroken 
lines to this day, baptism has been the unwavering 
witness for the cross and the empty sepulchre, for 
Christ crucified but risen from the dead, and now 
at the right hand of God in the heavens. Taken, 
therefore, as the ancient ordinance set in the gos- 
pel system, it is now a powerful apologetic for 
that greatest of all events in human history. It 
cannot be answered, and its testimony, though 
silent, cannot be overthrown and is of dramatic 
power. 

This particular phase of its value and mean- 
ing, though of such great worth with us, was not 
needed by the preachers of New Testament times. 
They needed no apologetic for the resurrection 
of Jesus. Some of them had been eye-witnesses 
of the risen Christ ; all of them lived in easy mem- 
ory of the event with unimpeachable and accu- 
mulative evidence, and needing no proof — even 
as we of today need no proof of the Civil War 
with its tragic upheaval and desolation. 



172 Evangelism and Baptism. 

They simply, but powerfully, proclaimed the 
resurrection without question, and expounded 
baptism as its wonderful figure, setting one over 
against the other — portraying both in word and 
symbol the wonderful achievement which God had 
wrought in raising his Son from the dead and 
setting him on high as King of kings and Lord 
of lords. This is the reason, no doubt, why Sa- 
tan has sought diligently through the centuries 
to destroy baptism, and in later years to weaken 
its hold on the conscience and conviction of Chris- 
tian people. For to destroy the picture, or even 
to mar its beauty and strength, would go far 
toward removing the original from the face of 
the earth. 

But the glory of heaven is upon this lofty fig- 
ure. As the undaunted sentinel of the ages bap- 
tism stands at the very place where Christ, though 
in the tomb, could not be holden of death, where 
death itself received its death blow, and where 
glory broke through the open sepulchre from the 
other side, bringing life and immortality to light. 
O death where is thy sting ! is the song the bap- 
tismal waters sing to celebrate his resurrection 
power ; O grave, where is thy victory ! is their 
shout of triumph for his crowning day in resur- 
rection glory. Thanks be unto God ! is the word 
they have passed down the ages — vvho hath given 
us the victory through our conquering Christ, who 
himself ''is on the right hand of God, having gone 
into heaven; angels and authorities and powers 
being made subject to him,'' our Saviour and 
Lord. 



Part II. 



FIVE LECTURES IN OUTLINE. 

(State Workers' Institute, Arkadelphia, Ark., February 
20-25, 1912.) 



THE ORDINANCES. 

Baptism and the Lord's Supper 
Their Doctrinal Content. 



Dr. Augustus H. Strong, Baptist: 

"These ordinances and their order are doctrines in- 
carnate — living expressions of the inmost reality of the 
Christian faith — monumental symbols of the truth of 
God." 

Dr. William Sanday, Church of England, in comment- 
ing on Rom. 6 : 4, concerning Baptism : 

"It expresses symbolically a series of acts correspond- 
ing to the redeeming acts of Christ ; Immersion=Death ; 
Submersion=Burial (the ratification of death) ; Emer- 
gence=^Resurrection.'' 

Dr. Plummer, Presbyterian, Commentary on Mark : 
"It is only when baptism is administered by immer- 
sion that its full significance is seen." 

(173) 



A STATUARY OF TRUTH. 

"Just as money deposits are committed not merely 
to the custody of a bank or corporation, but also to a 
strong room or safe, similarly I venture to affirm the 
Christian Gospel was committed for its -safe keeping 
not to chosen men or to the church as a whole, and 
to the New Testament Scriptures, but to the two ordi- 
nances of the Christian church, the Lord's Supper and 
the Lord's baptism, and more particularly to the latter. 
The ordinance of baptism has been called a 'statuary of 
truth' ; it contains a whole body of divinity ; it en- 
shrines, conserves and shows forth fundamental Chris- 
tian doctrine. 

"Hence when we contend for the apostolic observance 
of the ordinance, both as to its subjects and its mode, 
let it be carefully noted, we are not contending for a 
solitary question of doctrine, much less for a mere form 
of ritual, but for the right observance of an ordinance 
which is designed to focus and express many great and 
foundation doctrines. To substitute sprinkling or pour- 
ing for immersion is not such a trivial matter as sub- 
stituting little water for much water, but it is to utterly 
destroy the emblematical significance of the rite, as Dean 
Goulburn points out with great justice and force in his 
Bampton lecture, and as Bishop Gore has recently de- 
clared in these words, 'We have in our church and 
country almost wholly lost the symbolism which belongs 
to baptism by immersion'." — From Rev. W. J. Eddy, in 
The Baptist Union, of Victoria, Australia; quoted in 
The Baptist World, Louisville, Ky., March 7, 1912. 

(174) 



THE ORDINANCES. 

Baptism and the Lord's Supper 

Their Doctrinal Content. 



General Introduction. 

Content of national ensign. Celebrating his- 
toric events. Baptism and the Lord's Supper 
have immense teaching power as God's ordinances 
among men — his appeal to the eye and heart — his 
creedal statement — his formulary of doctrine. 
Ceremonies for worship, ordinances as means of 
indoctrinating. Symbols indeed, but symbols 
which never change in form or in what they con- 
vey to men. 

Their doctrine is always the same — their doc- 
trine concerning God, their doctrine of atone- 
ment for sin through the death of Christ, their 
doctrine of a new heart wrought by the Holy 
Spirit, their doctrine of a godly life, their doctrine 
of the final triumph. They are New Testa- 
ment ordinances with New^ Testament meaning. 
The ordinances are new but their doctrine is of 
old, and independent of all rites and ceremonies. 
Distinguished from Judaism, yet of the same gen- 
eral import, being of God, and for the enforce- 
ment of spiritual truth. 

They are as one in the unity of their doctrinal 
content, and must be considered ^together. Two 

(175) 



176 Evangelism and Baptism. 

sides of one sphere, supplementing and complet- 
ing. As monument and memorial, the one sign 
of the one event for all time — universal in lan- 
guage and meaning. They hold their integrity 
in three things — spirit, form, purpose — as essen- 
tial in their administration. They are both of 
the same spirit, and of the same general pur- 
pose, and differ only in form and the elements 
used. One has its form in the immersion of a 
believer in water, the other in breaking and eat- 
ing bread, in pouring out and drinking wine. 

The form of the Lord's Supper has not been 
in dispute, the form of baptism is well defined 
by Dr. Sanday, an Episcopal scholar of England, 
and his word is the most recent word of modern 
scholarship concerning this matter of much dis- 
pute, as follows : 

The act of baptism corresponds to the three 
acts of Christ's redemptive work; Immersion^ 
death; Submersion=burial (or the ratification of 
death ; Emergence^resurrection. 

Their teaching power is largely in their form. 
This is their significance, their sign-making 
power ; this makes the form essential in their ad- 
ministration, gives the form prominence with 
their spirit and purpose, requires that we hold 
them inviolate as they were commanded and com- 
mitted to us. They must be as God made and 
marked them, if they bear to our eyes and hearts 
the message which God intended. God's Word 
must be God's Word, his meaning must be kept 
in view. 



Lecture I. 

DOCTRINE CONCERNING GOD. 

As seen in the Ordinances, 
Baptism and the Supper. 



Scripture : 

The Doctrine — The Burning Bush (Ex. 3: 13, 14). 
The Ordinances — The Baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3: 
T3-17). 

Connect these incidents with the vision of 
Jacob's Ladder and the first observance of the 
Lord's Supper. These lectures throughout must 
be kept under the shadow of these mighty events 
in which God w^as deahng with men, and saying 
things which he meant should stand for all time. 

Like other things which God appoints and sets 
in order, Baptism and the Supper make him 
known. We come to the baptism of Jesus with 
the single aim to learn what it teaches of God, 
to study God's revelation of himself on that 
august occasion — remiembering, however, that 
every baptism reproduces largely the scene at the 
Jordan in spirit and form, in general purpose and 
resurrection forecast. 

1. In This Baptism God Bespeaks His Being, Person, 
Dwelling Place. 

The occasion chosen of God for making his 
Son known — and he becomes known himself. The 
open heaven — the spoken word. Something like 
this in every baptism. Wonderful emphasis. Be- 

12 (177) 



178 Evangelism and Baptism. 

lief in the ordinances means belief in God, his 
being, working power, gracious purpose. God 
reveals himself in dealing with men, and makes 
it of record in the Scriptures. To learn of him 
is basal in all religious thinking, the one vital, 
fundamicntal purpose. 

2. God Seen in the Trinity of His Person. 

Four great events — the vision of Jacob's lad- 
der — the burning bush — the Holy of holies — the 
baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, all serve one sub- 
lime purpose in making God known. They have 
their grading but culminate at the Jordan, and 
are passed on to us in august and overpowering 
majesty. 

The baptism of Jesus goes beyond the others. 
In the burning bush w^e have the words, 'T AM 
THAT I AM.'' That w^as the announcement of 
his self-existence and unity of being. In the bap- 
tism of Jesus and in every baptism since we have 
the three Persons of the Godhead — Father — Son 
— Holy Spirit. In setting his ordinance for all 
future time our Lord announced the baptismal 
formula, baptizing them into the name . . . 
and, lo, I am with you. Every baptism repeats 
and gives fresh emphasis to the revelation made 
at the Jordan. 

3. God Commissions a New IVIinistry. 

In that great event God showed himself at work 
among men, set a new ordinance opening the way 
for the kingdom — a new regime with God lead- 



Doctrine Concerning God. 179 

ing the way. John was charged with a new ordi- 
nance — he was a man sent of God — sent to bap- 
tize. The scene at the Jordan was a convergence 
under the divine plan and purpose. 

John's baptism, was it of heaven or of men? 
Shows God's purpose to save. This comes to 
the very heart of these New Testament cere- 
monies as to their deeper meaning, and is their 
crowning glory. 

This tremendous matter was committed to men. 
The rite was a heavenly rite charged wath mighty 
moment. Even John himself hesitated before the 
majesty of his mission — shrank from baptizing 
Christ even in the fulfillment of w^hat he was sent 
to do. John held conspicuous place in that august 
scene — Jesus sought John — came from Nazareth 
to seek John, the man commissioned of heaven — 
forerunner of the King and the kingdom. 

The administration of the ordinances reveals 
what God is doing among men and may well 
awaken a sense of awe. When one baptizes 
aright there you have in a noble sense a true suc- 
cessor to this first Baptist who himself was sent 
of God. 

This is not said for denominational advantage, 
nor in the interest of any controversy. The suc- 
cessorship and kinship between our baptism and 
the baptism of Jesus lies in the thing itself which 
we are doing here and now^ — whether it corre- 
sponds in spirit, form and purpose. 

It is a matter of kinship and character in the 
ordinances as we keep them. 



180 Evangelism and Baptism. 

4. God's Presence with His Approval. 

God was present at the Jordan as he is present 
in every administration of these ordinances. As 
at the creation, he saw it was good, so at the 
Jordan he looked on and was well pleased. The 
one surest and most emphatic word of these ordi- 
nances is their announcement of God's presence. 
Here we come face to face with God as in Jacob's 
vision — as in the burning bush — as in the Holy of 
holies. Their one mighty word — God is now here. 
The glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord, 
and the glory of the Lord was upon the scene 
at the Jordan. 

There is no content of person, either in the 
water or bread or wine, or in the ordinances. It 
is doctrinal content vs. content of person. An- 
nouncement and manifestation of his presence. 
The doctrinal content is powerful and stirs the 
soul, as we see through the ordinances and dis- 
cern their meaning. God makes himself known 
through symbols. 

Jesus with his commanding word at the Jor- 
dan — thus it becometh us — opened the way for 
all who will follow, and our baptism speaks for 
us what his baptism spoke for him — with the 
open heaven above us, and God's word of ap- 
proval. In baptism and the Supper we walk in 
God's ordinances and serve him, and the glory of 
the Jordan is upon the scene. 

Conclusion. — The heavens declare the glory 
of God — so also the ordinances. Like the stars 
these ceremonies are without speech — silent elo- 



Doctrine of Atonement for Sin. JgJ^ 

quence like the music of the spheres. God's me- 
morial unto all generations. Baptism unto bap- 
tism uttereth speech — one observance of the 
Lord's Supper after another showeth knowledge. 
Their voice is the voice of wisdom and mercy, of 
love and grace. His glory here outshining all the 
glory of his handiwork. Here we walk in his 
ordinances, keep his commandments, and the 
glory of the Lord is upon our pathway, shining 
brighter and brighter in the coming glory. 



Lecture 11, 

DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT FOR SIN. 

As seen in the Ordinances, 
Baptism and the Supper. 



Scripture : 

The Doctrine — i Tim. i: 15; i Cor. 15: 3, 4; Rom. 
to: 9; Rom. 4: 24, 25. 

The Ordinances — Rom. 6: 3, 4; i Cor. 11: 23, 25; 
Matt. 26: 28; Col. 2: 12. 

This word — ''according to the scriptures" — 
twice repeated with much point and emphasis, is 
the base line for all right-thinking in these 
weighty m.atters. It is the one supreme, imperial 
standard for Christian character and conduct, for 
all Christian belief and practice. 

The first group of Scriptures state the doctrine 
of atonement for sin according to the Scriptures; 



182 Evangelism and Baptism. 

the second group describe the two ordinances of 
the gospel, Baptism and the Supper, according to 
the Scriptures. Together they give us the doc- 
trine in word and in symbol. We here study the 
doctrine, the atonement itself, as seen in these 
ordinances, and we study the ordinances in their 
relation to the atonement. 

The doctrine or significance of Baptism and the 
Lord's Supper, is in their relation to Christ, to 
his person and life, but especially to his death and 
resurrection. This was the chief emphasis, and 
also the one mighty meaning of the New Testa- 
ment ordinances. They are of God — his appeal 
to the eye — his statement in symbol of sin with 
its atonement and cleansing, through the blood 
of the everlasting covenant. 

Dr. Sanday's words concerning baptism has 
special emphasis at this point : 'Tt expresses sym- 
bolically a series of acts corresponding to the re- 
deeming acts of Christ ; Immersion equals death ; 
Submersion equals burial (the ratification of 
death) ; Emergence equals resurrection.'' And 
Dr. Plummer, a distinguished Presbyterian 
author, says in his Commentary: 'Tt is only 
when baptism is administered by immersion that 
its full significance is seen." 

This goes to the very heart of what the ordi- 
nances teach. They are vitally connected with 
the death and burial of Jesus, with his rising again 
from the dead and with his resurrection life — so 
vitally that their chief meaning is in symbolizing 
these mighty events. Their word is gracious and 



Doctrine of Atonement for Sin. ^83 

powerful even in the deep things of God. They 
not only reveal God as seen in the former lecture, 
but show in glorious way what he has done for 
human redemption. They are symbols of his 
love and grace, and everywhere bespeak his 
praise and glory. 

1. A Guarantee of the Cross and Empty Sepulchre 
as Events of History. 

The ordinances have historical value in show- 
ing historical basis for the atonement. They tes- 
tify for the Son of God, bear witness for his death 
and resurrection as historical facts. This is basal, 
and of imperative and infinite moment. As mon- 
ument and memorial they present an unbroken 
line of evidence. Have been used perhaps too 
much as polemics, but not enough as apologetics. 

Evidence in monuments — Sunday a new day — 
the New Testament a new book — the church a 
new organic life with new ordinances. These are 
all here — speak no uncertain sound — their voice 
is for the tragedy of the cross and the empty sep- 
ulchre — they concern his dying and burial, but 
go beyond that to tell of his resurrection and his 
resurrection life — that he is alive again and as 
Lord at the right hand of God (Rev. i : i8). 
Contrast the words of these ordinances spoken 
among us today, with the words of the disciples 
on that first morning, with the words of the Ro- 
man guard, with the words of the angel, all con- 
verging in the fact that a new event had come in 
the world's history — the cross and the empty sep- 
ulchre. 



184 Evangelisiii and Baptism. 

These are historical facts, have rank as fact 
among other facts, whether of history, or nature, 
or science. This is of first importance both for 
the events themselves, and this is the prime word 
of the ordinances — a historical word with his- 
torical value. If Christ be not risen then all fail. 
There would be no ordinances except for the first 
coming of events ; without the events the ordi- 
nances would have no meaning. In their form 
they stand for impregnable facts, and in these 
rest the hopes of the world as on the rocks of Gi- 
braltar. 

Life and immortality in a noble sense are 
brought to light in the ordinances, through their 
testimony. Never before or since have nature's 
elements told such a story, or served as such an 
evangel. We are baptized with reference to 
Christ's death and risen also with him ; the me- 
morial supper is in remembrance that he died and 
is alive again. Their testimony stop neither at 
the cross nor at the empty sepulchre. 

2. Baptism and the Supper are Symbols of What 
Christ's Death Meant in Its Relation to Sin. 

This the symbol import of the ordinances; 
they interpret his death. Why this tremendous 
outlay of divine plan and purpose, energy and 
power? These simple rites undertake the gigan- 
tic task of making answer — God set them to 
make answer, gave them a tongue to tell their 
story. They give in symbol the meaning of 



Doctrine of Atonement for Sin. 185 

Christ's death, going beyond the cross as the his- 
torical fact to tell what the cross means, beyond 
the empty sepulchre to unfold its meaning to a 
wondering world. They interpret these events as 
Victor Hugo interprets the Battle of Waterloo. 

The tntth of history is often more wonderful 
than the facts of history. The ordinances both 
testify for the fact and unfold the truth. The 
m.eaning of the cross is the doctrine of the cross ; 
the meaning of the empty sepulchre is the doc- 
trine of the resurrection, and this is the word of 
the ordinances — that, ''He was delivered for our 
offenses and was raised again for our justifica- 
tion.^' 

We have here in symbol an epitome of Chris- 
tian doctrine — that Jesus died, rose again, is still 
alive with his heavenly ministry. 'These ordi- 
nances and their order are doctrines incarnate 
— living expressions of the inmost reality of the 
Christian faith. Monumental symbols of the 
truth of God.^' 

The fact that he died — the doctrine that he died 
for sin — for our sin, for its atonement, for setting 
it aside in sacrifice and blood. The doctrine of 
sin and the doctrine of the cross are counterparts, 
are seen in their relation in these symbols — cru- 
cified with him, risen with him, have remission of 
sin in him and cleansing in his blood. 

These ordinances are unchanged in form and 
meaning. The same now as at the first. Their 
significance is in their sign-making power. Sym- 
bols, monuments, miemorials cannot change. We 



18g Evangelism and Baptism. 

must hold these ordinances together as saying 
practically the same thing and supplementing each 
other. 

3. Baptism and the Supper an Emphasis of Atone- 
ment as Being Objective. 

All symbols are objective in their testimony, 
meaning, teaching. Baptism and the Lord's Sup- 
per give emphasis to the death of Christ as the 
atonement for sin its its effects Godward. It is 
not of man but of God, and primarily has to do 
with him. They symbolize the remission of sin 
but this with justification and adoption must come 
of God. They transfer the scene from Calvary 
to the heavenly court. In a mighty sense they 
stand for things outside of ourselves, as to origin, 
merit, efficiency, effects ; not of man at all, but of 
God in Christ Jesus. God is reconciled — God is 
just in saving. This is the word spoken in these 
ordinances with emphasis and power. 

"The moral theory'' is well enough, so far as 
it goes, but is insufficient. The power of the 
cross to move the human heart is not enough. 
Something needs to be done in the sinner's behalf, 
and that something was done on the cross and 
is emphasized in the ordinances. We may take 
them in the fullness of their meaning, or we may 
let them alone. They and the thing for which 
they stand are independent of our belief — like 
other great facts in nature with what those facts 
mean, as of the world turning on its axes, the 
running of the water to the sea. The supreme 



Doctrine of Ato^iemcnt for Sin. 137 

matter of the atonement for sin is with God, with- 
in the veil, where our bleeding sacrifice appears. 

These ordinances — baptism and the Supper, 
have not been given sufficient emphasis in what 
they say for God — what they say for Christ 
— as his ordinances holding before the world the 
meaning of his death. Their most tremendous 
meaning is not in what they do for man, but in 
what they do for Christ and for the atonement 
which he made for sin. 

Nothing must be done to obscure what these 
ordinances mean for Christ and his work. To 
this end they must be preserved inviolate as they 
came from his hand — in spirit, form, purpose. 
They show him buried and risen from the dead, 
and ministering in a new life with the promise of 
his return. Let not his glory go to another. They 
minister for him and for his glory — first for him 
and then for man. 

4. Baptism and the Supper Declarative of Christ's 
Atonement Being Effectual Through Individual 
Faith. 

It is of the nature and essence of signs and sym- 
bols to declare, to make manifest. Signs signify, 
symbols instruct. The ordinances are not some- 
thing to be done for which there com.es a quid 
pro quo. One observes them, not to get some- 
thing but to show something — their blessings 
come richly but incidentally. 

They are declarative in their very nature. This 
is their first purpose and they serve that purpose 
in their observance ; monuments and memorials 



188 Evangelism and Baptism. 

celebrate. They do this for Christ, and serve him 
in the function of teaching, in the unity of their 
doctrine. 

They declare Christ and his atonement, in the 
fullness of its efficacy as available to individual 
faith. They are open only to believers. He that 
believeth, etc., repent and be baptized, etc. 

He that believeth and is baptizd shall be saved. 
Repent and be baptized for the remission of sin. 
Standing by a railroad train you would say to 
the passenger, go into the coach and you will be 
carried to Louisville — or go into the coach and 
sit down and you will be carried to Louisville. 
Sitting down is a thing to be done after you are 
in the coach. Baptism, and the Supper also, are 
something to be done after one repents, believes, 
is saved. * 

These ordinances become declarative of what 
has been done in the believer's behalf and' of his 
new relation to Christ. Show his union with 
Christ. Outward sign of mighty inward transac- 
tion. Baptized into Christ ; put on Christ in bap- 
tism — a creedal statement for the believer of 
Christian belief, a confession of his experiential 
relation to Christ and his saving grace. 

Christ's baptism in the Jordan was declarative 
for him. It was God's occasion and method of 
making his Son known — his manifestation unto 
Israel and unto all the world for succeeding gen- 
erations. He became a baptized Saviour that he 
might show himself a buried and risen Saviour, 
with a baptism for those saved through faith in 
him. 



Doctrine of Atonement for Sin. IgQ 

Christ has set these ordinances to this purpose, 
and in this purpose they speak their mightiest 
words. The badge of remission, of discipleship, 
of sonship, of relation to him. Symbol, picture 
and mirror. Symbol, setting things together in 
comparison with sign-making power; picture, a 
scene representing to the eye likeness, acts and 
emotion, concentrated resemblance — a heavenly 
invention to represent heavenly realities of 
-thought and achievement, of purpose and prom- 
ise ; mirror, reflected image reproducing the past, 
making the invisible to appear, to miove and glad- 
den the heart. 

What is the content of a picture in which you 
see the face dearest to you of all faces ? What is 
the content of the mirror in its reflected image? 
What is the content of these ordinances ? In bap- 
tism, the burial, the resurrection, the em.pty tomb, 
and the saved man in his risen life. In the Sup- 
per is reflected as in a mirror with startling vivid- 
ness and power, the tragedy of the cross enacted 
over again — but also the risen Christ who is to 
return again. 

Every baptism is a fresh evangel, repeating 
through the centuries the angel's word : ''He is 
not here; he is risen as he said; come see the 
place where the Lord lay." Every celebration 
of the Supper tells of his death, but also that he 
is alive again, and is serving in the heavenly min- 
istry, and that we are saved in him, are sustained 
through him, and await his coming. So the won- 
derful story goes on — fresh always as the nevv^ 



190 Evangelism and Baptism. 

sun for the new day — singing of the world's re- 
demption, accompHshed already and yet in process 
of the larger and final consummation. 



Lecture III. 
DOCTRINE OF A NEW HEART. 

As seen in the Ordinances, 
Baptism and the Supper. 



Scripture : 

The Doctrine — i John 1:7; John 3: 3, 6, 7; John 
1 : 12. 

The Ordinances — xVcts 2: 38; Acts 22: 16; Ez. 11: 
19, 20. 

In becoming a Christian there is a threefold 
experience: (i) The remission of sin, (2) the 
cleansing from sin, (3) the making of a new 
heart. This rnicans a change of relation to God, 
a change also in the spiritual nature. ''He is a 
new creature in Christ Jesus ; old things are 
passed away ; all things have become new." They 
are the people of God and he is their God. 

The two sides of this change is described in 
the words, remission of sin, and a new heart. 
Distinguished and emphasized by the prepositions 
for and in — what God does for us, and what God 
does within the heart. These two things cannot 
be separated except for emphasis, and carry with 
them for each individual all that is meant in sal- 
vation. 



Doctrine of a New Heart, 191 

For 'the remission'' of sin equals pardon or 
forgiveness; must stand with justification, and 
adoption into God's family as his children through 
faith in Jesus Christ. 

What takes place in making a new heart has 
many expressions — being born again, passing 
from death into life, translation into the kingdom 
of God's dear Son, a new creation in Christ Jesus, 
a change of heart. All this indicates God as the 
worker in its operation, and the heart as the 
subject of his influence and power, of the new 
found experience. This is the doctrine of the new 
heart as seen in the Scriptures. 

But the two ordinances — baptism and the 
Lord's Supper, as outward ceremonies — what 
have they to do with a new heart — with this new 
relation to God, this w^orking with a new nature 
within, this cleansing of the heart from sin, this 
making of the guilty conscience clean? In one 
sense nothing whatever. In another sense, bap- 
tism and the Supper have wonderful significance 
and power in their relation to the new heart and 
in their emphasis of this great doctrine. 

1. These Ordinances Require a New Heart for Their 
Rightful Observance. 

A person needs fitness for these ordinances — a 
fitness which comes from a power on the outside 
and which works within. John sent some away 
from his baptism because they lacked fitness. A 
heavenly requirement for a heavenly fitness and 
service. 



192 Evangelism and Baptism. 

It is a serious thing to miss these ordinances as 
to nature, meaning and manner of observance — 
to misplace them in their relation to God and his 
work, as to their doctrinal order and significance, 
as to where they stand in the kingdom of God 
and his economy of grace. 

One may eat and drink unworthily — may ad- 
minister baptism unworthily — fail to discern the 
Lord's body in the one, his burial and resurrec- 
tion in the other. Baptism pushes one away, re- 
quiring of him a new heart. The Lord's Supper 
pushes one away and requires of him a new 
heart. 

This is the highway of the King and none but 
the children of the King are permitted in its 
boundaries. These are the garments of the palace 
for the wearing of those who are new within. 
They have no meaning for the unsaved, the un- 
renewed, cannot be appreciated by them — as a 
bhnd man in an art gallery or a deaf man in a 
concert hall of music. The sacredness of these 
ordinances has not had sufficient emphasis, nor 
has their voice for a new heart been sufficiently 
regarded. 

2, Baptism and the Lord's Supper — In No Sense Can 
They Make the Heart New. 

They demand qualifications, prerequisites 
which they themselves cannot give. They are for 
saved people, have no meaning or advantage for 
the unsaved, except perhaps to show them the 



Doctrine of a Neio Heart. 193 

need of salvation. Let there be no mistake at this 
point. 

It is just here that all the controversies among 
Christians have centered concerning the ordi- 
nances. Baptismal regeneration — making the 
heart new through baptism versus being born 
from above through the Spirit of God. Bap- 
tismal remission of sin — taking away sin through 
baptism as a meritorious act — being saved by 
baptism, etc. From these egregious blunders to 
the other extreme of counting the ordinances 
mere rites and of little consequence. 

Over against all this we set the Scriptures as 
quoted in the text and others. The ordinances 
are physical acts and inadequate for the mighty 
change which is wrought in the spiritual nature 
with the direct working of God in the heart — with 
the inner man each one in himself — making him 
a new creature, etc. God, who commanded the 
light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our 
hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the 
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

3. The Ordinances Make Expression in Symbol of 
the New Heart's Experience. 

This is additional to what was said in the previ- 
ous lecture concerning the objective emphasis and 
declarative purpose of the ordinances. There 
they spoke for Christ in his objective relation; 
here they speak of his saving grace in the heart, 
as experienced through faith in him. There ob- 
jective, here they speak for a subjective work. 

13 



194 Evangelism and Baptism. 

They are outward expressions of inward real- 
ities. Thoughts, feeHngs, experiences, emotions 
— all have their methods of outward expressions. 
The inner heart laid open in the ordinances. The 
author expresses his thought in words on the 
printed page, the painter with his canvass, the 
sculptor with his marble. God wishes to show 
what he has wrought in the heart, and makes ex- 
hibition in baptism and the Lord's Supper. The 
believer wishes to show what he has experienced 
in the heart and shows it in baptism and the 
Lord's Supper. The one word is, that old things 
have passed away, all things have become new, 
and these ordinances are set to tell the wonderful 
story. 

Remission of sin means there has been a set- 
tlement with God; the believer has felt in his 
heart God's resurrection power as when he raised 
Jesus from the dead, and he himself is alive 
again as one from the dead; has experienced in 
his heart the cleansing of the blood — shares with 
Christ in being raised from the dead and living 
again in him. Crucified, nevertheless alive. God's 
son through faith in Christ — all this has its an- 
nouncement in the great ordinance as the believer 
is buried with Christ in baptism. He owns the 
power divine and beyond human resource. Is 
willing in the day of God's power. It is a won- 
derful expression of the soul's surrender as with 
Saul of Tarsus — surrender of mind, of will, of all 
the old life, of purpose, and setting oneself to a 
new life for the glory of Christ. 



Doctrine of a Neto Heart. 195 

4. Baptism and the Lord's Supper Serve as Means 
for the New Heart's Culture. 

Their effect in the life, marking and making 
the inner Hfe open and outspoken. Do not save, 
yet a means of grace for those who are saved — 
a means of grace for Christian growth and ad- 
vancement. No culture can turn the thistle into 
vine of the vineyard — yet the vine may be nour- 
ished. 

The ordinances are for indoctrinating, and 
great doctrines have great cultural power. 

Two thoughts confront us. There is doctrine 
in the very order of the ordinances — raising from 
the dead precedes the risen life. Jesus raised the 
young girl from death and then refreshm.ents 
were administered. 

Jesus was baptized on entering his public life 
with the Lord's Supper coming after — resurrec- 
tion before a new life — regeneration before sanc- 
tification — baptism before the Lord's Supper — 
bringing to life before nourishing — made a new 
creature in him first, and then living a new life 
in him. 

The other thought much emphasized here is the 
exclusiveness of the ordinances — by their very 
nature — by the things they stand for. The born 
of God — the baptized for him — the living in his 
word. Symbols of mighty things they are, and 
stand as symbols in the King's highway, as the 
banner in the kingdom of God. A baptized people 
following a baptized Saviour — sitting at his table 
as commanded and in remembrance of him. 



196 Evangelism and Baptism, 

Surely we should see to it that in spirit and form 
and purpose, our baptism is the Lord's baptism, 
our observance of the Lord's Supper in deed and 
in truth the Lord's table. 



Lecture IV. 

DOCTRINE OF A GODLY LIFE. 

As seen in the Ordinances, 
Baptism and the Supper. 



Scripture : 

The Doctrine — Psalm i: i; Psalm 84: 11. 

The Ordinances — Rom. 6:4; Matt. 3: 15; Luke i: 6. 

''Blessed is the man that walketh not in the 
counsel of the ungodly — for his delight is in the 
law of the Lord/' These scriptures with many 
others give emphasis to the ordinances as to their 
practical value and their relation to a godly life. 

God makes a new heart within, gives a new 
spirit that we may walk in his statutes and keep 
his ordinances. By his own gracious power he 
makes us his people and he becomes our God. 
We show to the world that we are his in our walk, 
in our relation to his law and what we do with 
his commandments. 

We owe it to our Lord to interpret his ordi- 
nances aright, and it becomes us to hold our- 
selves in right relation to baptism and the Lord's 
Supper. If we walk not uprightly in the ordi- 
nances, will we walk uprightly anywhere? 



Doctrine of a Godly Life. ^97 

Each of these several texts is to be emphasized 
and they in turn emphasize the doctrine of a 
godly life in relation to God's ordinances — in gen- 
eral, and in relation to baptism and the Supper 
in particular. Out of it all we get several lines 
of related thought. 

1. The Ordinances Protest Against Formalism. 

There is no room for formalism, micre ceremo- 
nial performance, in a life dealing with God and 
reflecting God. Religion and formalism are in- 
compatible and contradictory. A godly life comes 
of a godly heart. A godly life versus formalism. 
If baptism and the Supper run to formalism, it is 
no fault of theirs — their very nature and mean- 
ing are against it. The keeping of these ordi- 
nances is a godly act — the expression of a godly 
heart. 

The godly man has his delight in the law of 
the Lord, and this law is his life. Without this 
the ordinances are of no avail, then indeed bap- 
tism and the Supper are ''mere form'' — easily, 
perhaps inevitably, settle to formalism, dead and 
hurtful formalism. 

If God be not King in the heart, then he is not 
King in the life. Thy word have I hid in my 
heart that I might not sin against thee. The 
inner principle regulates the outer action — re- 
straining or leading. 

The highest law; thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God — with all thy heart — with all thy soul — and 



198 Evangelism and Baptism. 

with all thy mind (Matt. 22: 37). Over against 
this, contrast the ordinances without the heart or 
with a wrong heart. Simon Magus an example, 
a fearful possibility. But trust in the Lord with 
all thine heart, etc. Then comes the walking in 
his commandments and ordinances. This gives 
a godly life — righteous before God — upright as 
related to him^ — but of the heart in which he has 
wrought his work of grace, set up his kingdom 
and rules in the heart. 

2. The Ordinances Present a Form of Godliness. 

A new life within demands a new Hfe with- 
out. The outward and the inward in religion to 
be guarded all the while and kept in proper rela- 
tion. The ordinances demand a godly life — a life 
in the open with God — walking in his command- 
ments and ordinances. This in addition to their 
demand for a new heart. To have the heart right 
is not sufficient — a new life as well as a new heart 
is the imperative and imperious demand from 
baptism and the Supper. They require an open 
life for God. 

Baptism is the answer of a good conscience 
before God. It calls for a walk in newness of life. 
An Indian appeared for baptism, dressed in white 
in token of the life which he thought he was to 
live, said to the people he was to walk the Jesus 
road. 

Baptism and the Supper demand a new heart 
as we come to them, a new life as we go out from 



Doctrine of a Godly Life. 199 

them. We begin at baptism as Jesus began at 
the Jordan, and follow on to the upper chamber 
with him in the lead. The reversal of this order 
contravenes the Scriptures, sets at naught the 
meaning of the ordinances. 

Notable example in Zacharias and Elizabeth. 
The high word said of them concerning their ob- 
servance of Judaism. They lived to the finish 
the Hebrew system. Walking in the command- 
ments and ordinances they made for themselves 
a highway between their home and the heavenly 
places — kept company with angels — even Gabriel 
came that way when affairs of state required. In 
their home life and temple service they completed 
the old dispensation — righteous before God. 
Christ opened the new dispensation at the Jor- 
dan with that commanding word of his, it be- 
cometh us to fulfill all righteousness — and was 
baptized. 

Godliness is of the heart, but its form is of the 
outward expression and of great moment. The 
form of godliness without its power — ^even in bap- 
tism and the Supper — to be avoided, yet the form 
with power to be greatly desired. Its power does 
not come to the full of privilege until showing 
itself in form. To preserve and keep baptism and 
the Supper as commanded and committed to us 
is of immense moment — a demand of the heart 
made new. For those who go that way there is 
satisfaction and joy in the sense of doing God's 
will. Like the Ethiopian, they go on their way 
rejoicing. 



200 Evangelism and Baptism. 

3. The Ordinances are a Plea for a Godly Life in 
Christ Jesus. 

They stand for New Testament righteousness 
— godhness in Christ Jesus. They emphasize 
the Lordship of Jesus, his sovereignty. Law- 
maker in Zion, as well as Saviour. Here we come 
into a new realm and yet in full accord with the 
highest and best things in the old. 

Baptism and the Lord's Supper being from 
Christ and of the New Testament, are the mark 
and call for the Christly life. They are his law, 
and have the royal seal of his example. Godly is 
more than religious, Christly is more than godly, 
more specific, full of meaning and emphasis, puts 
Christ and the things of Christ at the front — 
glorifies God in Christ Jesus. They mark a bap- 
tized people following a baptized Saviour. 

Saul of Tarsus, prior to his conversion, was 
moral because he obeyed his conscience, was godly 
because he thought he was doing God's service, 
was religious because he worshiped God, as his 
fathers had done, but after his conversion he was 
Christly, his was a godly life in Christ Jesus, with 
Christ as center, enthroned in his affections. 

So it comes that baptism and the Lord's Sup- 
per are a powerful element in the Christly life — 
as marking the life we live in him, in its rise and 
progress — in regeneration and sanctification. 
Crucified together is the solemn word, raised up 
together is the word of triumph and joy. 

Here again we come in marked way upon the 
exclusiveness of the ordinances. They demand a 



Doctrine of a Godly Life. 201 

separated life, separated from the world. After 
the Jordan, Jesus went no more to his old life at 
Nazareth. This is the newness of life. These 
ordinances in their very nature demand the church 
in its organic life, and the church demands the 
ordinances as the bond and badge, as the pledge 
and expression of fellowship. The best church 
life is the fullest Christ life — filling out the full- 
ness of his purpose and plan ; the best Christ life 
is the most godly life. This is walking uprightly 
as he would have us walk, and he will give grace 
and glory. 

4. The Ordinances Illustrate the Worth of a Godly 
Life. 

Worth whether in the Old Testament or the 
New — for both the present and the future. For 
the individual and the community, (i) Gains 
favor with God; (2) reflexive in its influence on 
character; (3) instructive and full of inspiration 
to others. 

In addition to its worth in general a godly life, 
showing in these ordinances as a form of godli- 
ness, has distinct doctrinal character, and great 
doctrinal value. In their practice they are an 
abiding testimony for fact and faith — the most 
stupendous fact in history and the mightiest ex- 
periential faith known to man, even possible to 
man. Living a godly life among people makes 
one an educational center and power. The ordi- 
nances become our creed in a great sense — our 
banner in the name of our God — show what we 



202 Evangelism and Baptism. 

believe. They carry in this way the power for 
testimony, for great upHft, conspicuous and com- 
manding. 

The ordinances express in sym.bol what we find 
in the great statement of the apostles. I am cru- 
cified with Christ, etc. A formal statement of 
Christianity in beautiful form. Show history — 
doctrine or creed — experiential grace and min- 
istry or mission in the church of God after God's 
plan. Show how the cross stands, — inseparable 
from the empty sepulchre, at the center of Chris- 
tian history, of Christian doctrine, of Christian 
experience, of Christian ministry or mission; 
show the very heart of church life and power — of 
what Christ has done for us — of what he wants 
us to do for him. 

From every standpoint we get tremendous em- 
phasis for the importance of preserving these or- 
dinances as they were given to us. Their perver- 
sion in spirit, form or purpose is far-reaching in 
deadly effect both on character and doctrine. 

This is the godly life, a godly walk — a walk 
worthy of the high calling of God in Christ Je- 
sus. Goes the way he went, shows the cross and 
crown, the course and consummation for our Lord 
and for those who are his and who follow him. 
The emblem of his rule, the badge of our loy- 
alty. They show where our allegiance is. Every 
baptism is his fresh coronation by those who love 
him — every observance of his Supper is a fresh 
memorial of his death — of his resurrection and 
resurrection life. In a great sense we may say 



Doctrine of a Final Triumph. 203 

for him : He set his throne in his ordinances and 
made his ordinances the symbols of his sceptre 
rule over all. 

Walking in the ordinances is high mark of 
favor in the kingdom and has the glory of 
heaven upon its pathway. In a figurative sense 
yet gloriously, as the rugged framework holds 
the great picture of the artist, so these ordinances 
hold in themselves the destiny of the ages — when 
God shall show the wonders of his grace in 
Christ Jesus — proclaiming before him his rule for 
the ages to come. 

'The Lord will give grace — in the progress, 
and glory in the consummation; no good thing 
will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.'' 



Lecture V. 
DOCTRINE OF FINAL TRIUMPH. 

As seen in the Ordinances, 
Baptism and the Supper. 



Scripture : 

The Doctrine — i Thes. 4: 16, 17. 

The Ordinances — Col. 2: 12; Col. 3: i, 4; i Cor. 
II : 26; Matt. 26: 29. 

In these several passages we have a statement 
of the doctrine of the future according to the 
Scriptures — stated in word and symbol. Bap- 
tism and the Lord's Supper have a prophetic 



204 Evangelism and Baptism. 

voice, and their voice is for life and immortality. 
As monument and memorial they shine in the 
glory of the far-away past, and for the future 
they have a word of no uncertain meaning. They 
catch the foregleam of coming glory. 

This lecture brings us to the crown and glory 
of all that has been said. Is this life all ? Does 
death end all? Is there anything beyond the 
dead — beyond the grave ? These mightiest of all 
questions — what answer do they have in these two 
ordinances of the New Testament? What is the 
meaning of these two simple, beautiful ceremonies 
which you find in the faith and practice of every 
church of Jesus Christ — concerning the great 
future ? 

They are now what they were at the first in 
spirit, form and purpose. They are without 
change like their great Author who set them in 
the fullness of their meaning. For instruction 
and comfort, for encouragement and inspiration. 
Their record has been unbroken for the past, 
what is their word for the future ? They are New 
Testament ordinances with New Testament mean- 
ing. They cannot teach any doctrine which is 
not first taught in the Scriptures, but they stand 
for well-nigh everything that God has made of 
record concerning the redeemed of the Lord. 

The symbolic word cannot go beyond the writ- 
ten Word, but may illuminate the record by ap- 
peal to the eye and through the eye to the heart. 
The symbol and the word are one in their voice 
for the future. The one is promise with the dec- 



Doctrine of a Final Triumph. 205 

laration of power, the other is foretoken, shining 
in the foregleam of the future, the one is 
prophetic, the other pledge — but all combining at 
the one glorious center and consummation of the 
work of grace in human redemption. 

1. Baptism and the Supper Forecast the Lord's Re- 
turn, and the Final Resurrection. 

The ordinances can hardly be misread in their 
testimony, wonderful token and meaning concern- 
ing this mighty doctrine. In every baptism there 
is resurrection forecast; in every observance of 
the Supper the memorial is sunlit with that won- 
derful word, 'Till he comes,'' — casting its glory 
upon the far-away horizon. The voice of the 
Supper is, the Lord himself shall descend from 
heaven, etc. ; the voice of Baptism, 'The hour 
is coming when all that are in the grave shall 
hear his voice,'' etc. 

These ordinances so simple in form balk not 
at the gravest difficulty or at presenting in them- 
selves the mightiest of all paradoxes — the Lord 
born as announced to the shepherds, the Lord 
buried and risen as spoken from the empty sep- 
ulchre, the Lord dead and now alive again — en- 
throned and to return in power and great glory. 

The words of Dr. Sanday, as applied to Jesus 
himself, has wonderful significance concerning 
those who are his: 'Tmmersion equals death; 
Submersion equals burial (ratification of death) ; 
Emergence equals resurrection." The empty sep- 
ulchre becomes forever the victory and the vic- 
tor's crown. 



206 Evangelism and Baptism. 

Baptism and the Lord's Supper, as a mirror 
turned on the past, show his death and resurrec- 
tion ; turned on the present, they show him at the 
right hand of God ministering as our interces- 
sor in the Holy of hoUes, and active in working 
out hum.an redemption; turned on the future, 
the mirror catches the glory of his return 
and reflects its splendor full on our face and 
heart. Christ the first fruits, then they that are 
Christ at his coming — as the engagement ring 
promises the wedding ring — as the crown prom- 
ises the coronation. 

2. The Baptism and the Supper Forecast the Judg- 
ment and Final Separation Between the Saved 
and the Lost. 

What beyond the resurrection? What beyond 
the judgment? There is a difference between 
men here in their relation to Christ, also when 
they stand before the judgment. Those that con- 
fess him — those that deny him. 

In every baptism there is in certain sense a 
judgment, or a badge of distinction — those who 
do the will of his Father; every memorial Sup- 
per is a separation between believer and unbe- 
liever in their relation to Christ as Saviour, Sov- 
ereign and Lord. The separation here and there 
is based upon relation to Christ and this relation 
to Christ has wonderful manifestation in the ordi- 
nances which he has left with us. 

Like a rainbow overarching the centuries, these 
ordinances reach from cross and empty sepul- 



Doctrine of a Final Triumph. 207 

chre in the past to throne and coronation in the 
future. 

They have no curative or procurative power in 
themselves, and yet are intended for a class and 
serve as badge for class distinction. Their voice 
always and everywhere is for the impending 
truth, that the righteous and unrighteous shall 
not live together in the kingdom of God, do not 
share his favor alike, shall not walk the heavenly 
fields together. Separation is a large and omin- 
ous word, and yet with fearful meaning shows 
the significance of these ordinances as we observe 
them and contemplate the future. But what be- 
yond the separation. 

3. Baptism and the Supper Forecast Companionship 
with Christ in the Kingdom of His Father for 
Those Who are His. 

'T will not drink of this cup until that day I 
drink it new with you.'' The words show (i) 
heaven a place, (2) identity and recognition, (3) 
companionship, fellowship with Christ. Like a 
long distance telescope these ordinances carry our 
eyes and hearts right into the heavenly places. 
We see the saints and the King of saints — the 
Lamb and those washed in the blood of the Lamb 
— the glorious assembly of the redeemed who sing 
the song of redemption. 

We do not rightly measure or magnify the 
companionship of saints as set forth in the ordi- 
nances — the brotherhood of believers, their fel- 



208 Evangelism and Baptism. 

lowship in baptism — their fellowship in the 
Lord's Supper. These are symbols indeed of 
what has been done but symbols also of what is 
yet to be when the King shall come in his glory 
and all his holy angels with him. 

4. Baptism and the Supper Forecast Ultimate Tri- 
umph of Our Lord and the Final Consummation 
of His Work of Grace. 

This the final word of baptism and the Sup- 
per. This has been their word from the first un- 
til now, and shall be until the work of grace is 
done. They bespeak the reversal of all that death 
has wrought in the world's history. They hold 
in joyous contemplation the life everlasting, the 
new city where there shall be no more dying. 

This is their word. They stop not at diffi- 
culties or oppositions or impossible things. They 
appeal to our faith as when Jesus stood at the 
tomb of Lazarus. 

When bidding his disciples farewell, and w^hile 
speaking of coming kingdoms and crowns, the 
Lord knew that already the mob was gathering 
on the outside for tomorrow's work. But he 
spoke his word — set his meaning in symbol, and 
these symbols have never faltered in their testi- 
mony. Their word is more certain about nothing 
than this final word for the future — the heavenly 
future of the saints of God. ''As oft as ye eat 
this bread and drink this cup," as often also as 
ye baptize, "ye do show the Lord's death till he 
come." 



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